MAKINSON
The surname Makinson is of English origin and derives from the given name Makyn, a diminutive form of the personal name Matthew. The suffix -son denotes a patronymic relationship, so the literal meaning of the name is “son of Makyn”.
The name is formed according to a common English practice of identifying descendants by the name of a male ancestor, and it has been used in the British Isles to denote the lineage of a man named Makyn or Matthew. As such it falls within the class of patronymic surnames that were widely adopted in medieval England.
Historical records show that the spelling of the surname has varied considerably. Recorded forms include Mackenson, Mackensen, Mackieson, Mackison, Mackeson, Make-sone, and Makinson. These variations reflect the orthographic practices of different regions and periods, but all trace back to the same root name.
In addition to its English bearings, the surname is also found in Scotland, particularly in the counties of Stirlingshire and Perthshire, with a long-standing branch located at Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. Early Scottish documents record individuals such as Thomas filius Mackyson who held lands by charter in Elgin in 1398, and Thomas Maksoun described as a “tanator” of Newburgh in 1402.
Further evidence from the seventeenth century includes William Makisson, admitted as a burgess of Aberdeen in 1477, Simon Mackeson in 1488, and William Makhesone in 1521. These entries demonstrate the continued use of the name and its variants throughout the late medieval period.
According to archival sources, the surname is believed to have derived from an ancient Gaelic word kissa, meaning a spear. As with many Gaelic surnames, it may have been originally a nickname for a clan chief in the twelfth century, before becoming institutionalised as a family name.
Today, Makinson remains a recognised surname within the United Kingdom, with its historical roots firmly situated in English and Scottish records.
Typical given names associated with the Makinson surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Nicholas
- Paul
- Philip
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Annette
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Gillian
- Janet
- Jean
- Karen
- Kathryn
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Makinson in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 1,513 people named Makinson in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,310th most common surname in Britain. Around 23 in a million people in Britain are named Makinson.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Makinson
- David Makinson - Cricketer
- Tommy Makinson - Rugby league player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.