Surname Aitcheson - Meaning and Origin
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Aitcheson: What does the surname Aitcheson mean?
The last name Aitcheson is an old English surname, most commonly found in Scotland, Ireland, and England. It is a variation of the surname Atcheson or Acheson, with both variants likely geographically derived from either Auchin, a small region in Scotland; Auchinleck, also a small region in Scotland; or Aix-en-Provence, a region in southern France.
The surname Aitcheson is believed to derive from an Old English personal name Achi, which comes from the pre 7th-century Achae a term of endearment. Alternatively, it may be derived from the old Norse elements aki, meaning “ancestor”, and son, indicating “son of”.
The history of the surname is believed to stretch back to the middle ages, possibly as many as the 11th century. It is commonly associated with a range of professions, such as landholders, soldiers, merchants, tailors, cobblers, farmers, and sailors.
The Aitcheson family crest reflects the significance of the family name, with a blue shield emblazoned with three silver acorns, a number that may allude to the Norse-inspired origin story. Below the shield are the words ‘Valens et Fortis’, meaning ‘Strong and Brave’.
Today the Aitcheson surname is most popularly associated with its spelling variation, ‘Atcheson’, which is found throughout Europe and the United States. It is estimated that between 400 and 500 individuals worldwide bear the surname.
Order DNA origin analysisAitcheson: Where does the name Aitcheson come from?
The last name Aitcheson is an uncommon name that is more commonly found in the United Kingdom and Ireland than elsewhere. It is suspected to be of Scottish origin, and one of the earliest forms was Aitkenson.
Today, Aitcheson is found in its various spellings throughout the British Isles, particularly in Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland, it is most common in the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Fife. In Ireland, it is mainly concentrated in counties Belfast, Kilkenny, and Tail.
The 2003 UK Census revealed there were 701 people with the surname Aitcheson, with the majority living in the South East of England. Variations of the name can also be found in Canada, the United States, Australia, and Germany.
The origin of the surname is believed to have derived from an ancestral home, specifically a homestead or farm, owned by someone with the same surname. It is plausible to suggest that the original owners of Aitcheson or Aitkenson were a family unit.
The origin of the first name is unknown, but is believed to derive from the Gaelic athach, meaning ‘daring’ or ‘brave’. Alternatively, the Aitcheson may have derived from the location of its ancestral home or a specific characteristic of the ancestral owners.
Variations of the surname Aitcheson
Aitcheson is an anglicized form of the Scottish family name Aitcheson, derived from the occupational name "aitcher," meaning someone who herded and managed horses. Aitcheson is most commonly found in Scotland, where it is derived from the Old English name Aethelwulf or Aethelwold, and is an anglicization of the Gaelic name MacAedh or MacGhaidh. Variants of Aitcheson include MacAitchison, Aitchens, Aithens, MacAtcheson, Hackettson, Hackonson, Hakeneton, and H Autismon. Spellings include Aitchenson, Aitcheneon, Aitchesoun, Aitchesson, Aitchensson, and Aitchensonne. Surnames of the same origin include Aitcheson, Aitkin, Aikman, Aitken, Aitchester, Aitkenhead, Aitchison, and MacAtcheson.
Aitkin is an anglicized form of the Gaelic MacAedh, derived from the old Gaelic name Aedh, a variation of Aed or Aedan, meaning “fire.” Aikman is derived from the Gaelic Mac Aedh, which was an occupational name for a horse herder or farmer. Aitken is derived from the Middle English name Aitken, which is a variant of Aiken, an Old English name derived from Aethelwulf, which means “noble wolf.” Aitchester is a Scottish variant of Aiken, derived from the Gaelic Mac Aedh, meaning son of Aedh. Aitkenhead is a combination of the surnames Aitken and Head, likely indicating a person with ancestral ties to both a surname derived from Aiken and another from a “head”-related occupation. Aitchison is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Mac Aedh and is an anglicization of the Gaelic MacAitche. MacAtcheson is derived from the Gaelic Mac Aedh, indicating someone from a “horse” family.
Famous people with the name Aitcheson
- Sam Aitcheson: Sam is an English pop and soul singer from Manchester, who rose to fame after appearing on the 2013 series of The Voice UK.
- Eddie Aitcheson: Eddie is a professional golfer from Scotland. He was the winner of the 2016 Scottish Amateur Championship.
- Thomas Aitcheson:Thomas Aitcheson is a British electrical engineer, best known for his work on electric vehicle motors. He is currently the Managing Director of his own design firm, Motivity Engineering.
- Leslie Aitcheson: Leslie is a British artist, who is best known for his landscape and figurative paintings.
- Donald E. Aitcheson: Donald is an American professor of English and Comparative Literature at Amherst College, and the author of several books about Gothic literature.
- Catherine Aitcheson: Catherine is a British stage actress best known for her role in the 2011 production of Much Ado About Nothing.
- Chester Aitcheson: Chester is a professional Canadian ice hockey player, currently playing in the Kontinental Hockey League.
- William Aitcheson: William was an Irish poet known for his 18th century works of satire.
- William Gordon Aitcheson: William was a British politician and High Sheriff of Belfast in 1933.
- Jackson Aitcheson: Jackson is a professional Canadian snowboarder, who is currently ranked 12th in the World Cup Rankings.