Recorded in several spellings including Susan, Susann, Susans, Sushans, Sussans, Sussems, Suscens, and others, this is an English surname. It originates however from the medieval personal name Shushannah, meaning "lily" and found in the modern spelling of Susan. This was one of the many personal names introduced into England following the famous crusades to free the Holy Land from the Muslims during the 11th to the 14th centuries. In the course of time the personal name was also adopted as a surname. It also developed mainly as forms of patronymic or matronymics meaning the son or daughter of Susan, and in the counties of Sussex-Kent certain variants where in medieval times "n" and "m" were interchanged, to give Sussans and Sussems, as examples. Early examples of recordings include Alice Susaum of St Dunstans, Stepney in 1631, Patience Sussaus of St. Botolphs, city of London in 1690, James Sussams at the famous church of St. Mary-le- Bone in 1812, whilst James Sussems is also recorded at St. Mary Le Bone on November 12th 1820. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Susann. This was dated 1279, in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, during the reign of King Edward 1st, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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