PATTISON
Pattison is a surname of predominantly English and Scottish provenance, whose earliest attestations are documented in the Episcopal Register of Aberdeen in the year 1446. The name is classified by the Dictionary of National Biography as one of the more common Scottish surnames, and it is associated with several armorial bearings, more than ten coats of arms having been recorded for families bearing this name.
In its linguistic construction, Pattison is a patronymic surname. The constituency “-son” denotes “son of”, a feature shared by many surnames in the British Isles that function as identifiers of descent. Thus, Pattison literally translates to “son of Patrick”. The precursor of Patrick is the Latin personal name Patricius, which was employed in Roman antiquity to signify a man of the patrician class, and is commonly understood as meaning “nobleman”. Consequently, the full etymological meaning of the surname can be interpreted as “son of a nobleman”.
The medieval given name Patrick gained prominence in the Christian tradition through the cult of St. Patrick, the 5th‑century patron saint of Ireland. The hero of the apostolate increased the popularity of the personal name across Ireland, Scotland and the northern regions of England from the 12th century onward. As a result, a number of surnames derived from “Patrick” appear in the historical record, including Patrickson, Pate(s), Paty, Paton, Patten, Pattieson and Paterson.
In Scotland, the surname has traditionally been represented in the form Paterson, derived from the abbreviated Pat or Pate which itself was a shortened form of Patrick. The original territory of the clan, which has been called the Pheadirean, lay on the north side of Lochfyne, an area formerly populated by many bearers of the name. The earliest recorded spelling of the name in Scotland is that of William Patrison in 1446, attested in the same Aberdeen register that records the other early examples mentioned above.
Throughout the centuries, many distinct spelling variations have emerged. These include Pattinson, Pattenson, Paddison, Padison, Patteson, Paterson, Peterson, Pateson and Patison. The presence or absence of a double “t” or a single “s” often reflects local dialectal influences and the historical lack of standardised spelling. In many cases, the interchange of these variants in genealogical records illustrates a common ancestral line.
Coat‑of‑arms associated with the Pattison surname frequently depict twelve pelicans feeding on their golden young in a green nest set upon a silver field. The symbolic imagery reflects traditional heraldic themes of sacrifice and renewal, and it has been reproduced by multiple family lineages over time.
With the migration waves from the British Isles, the surname spread to Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Presently, the WorldNames public profiler places the concentration of bearers of the name at a maximum in northern Scotland, with secondary pockets in Ottawa, Canada, and in Victoria and South Australia. In the United States, the name is most common in New Hampshire and Vermont. Today, Pattison remains a relatively rare surname on a global scale, ranking as the 35 091st most common name worldwide.
Several notable individuals have managed to bring prominence to the surname. In athletics, the English cricketer Mike Pattison made a mark in the latter half of the 20th century. In business, the American entrepreneur James Pattison achieved renown in his sector. The surname has also been represented in the creative industries by actor Robert Pattinson, whose work has brought international awareness to the name.
Emma Anne Paterson (1848–1886) stands out for her pioneering role in labour history. She founded the Women’s Protective and Provident League in 1874 and became the first woman admitted to the Trade Union Congress in 1875, a milestone in the progression of gender equity within the union movement.
In summary, the surname Pattison carries a heritage deeply rooted in the patronymic traditions of the British Isles, deriving from the Latin Patricius through the Christian significance of Patrick. Its historical presence in England, Scotland and beyond is documented through both archival records and heraldic representations, while its evolution in spelling reflects the linguistic diversity of the regions affected by its spread.
Typical given names associated with the Pattison surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Janet
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- 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 Pattison in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 8,555 people named Pattison in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,109th most common surname in Britain. Around 131 in a million people in Britain are named Pattison.
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 Pattison
- Vicky Pattison - Television personality
- Davey Pattison - Singer
- Alex Pattison - Football player
- Charlie Pattison - Football player
- Richard Pattison - Climber
- John George Pattison - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1875 to 1917)
- Jack Pattison - Football player (1887 to 1970)
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.