PATTON
The surname Patton has dual roots in the British Isles, tracing its origins to both Latin and Scottish lineages. Its earliest known occurrence in England appears in the Patent Rolls of Northumberland for the year 1230, where an individual named Hugo Patun is recorded. This early English record situates the name during the reign of King Henry IIIrd (1216–1272) and reflects the surname’s presence in an English context as a locational or geographical feature.
In Scotland, the name emerged as a patronymic derivative of the personal name Patrick, which itself originates from the Latin Patricius, meaning “noble” or “patrician.” Accordingly, Patton denotes a descendant or son of Patrick. The patronymic formation is evident in various Scottish documents, such as the mention of Thomas Pattoun of Aberdeen in 1538 and Thomas Patton of Dundee in 1547, the latter of whom fell at the battle of Pinkie.
Alternate spellings—including Paton, Patten, Padon, Paddon, and the patronymic Patonson—highlight the name’s linguistic flexibility. One dialectical explanation links the suffix -in to a diminutive meaning “little Pat” or “son of Pat.” Another tradition suggests a nickname origin derived from the Middle English word pate (meaning head or skull), implying that the name may have once served to describe a man with cropped hair or a bald head.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Patton surname crossed the Atlantic. The earliest documented American ancestor, Robert Patton, was born in Scotland around 1755 and emigrated to Virginia in 1770. In the United States, the name achieved prominence during World War II through General George Patton (1885–1945), a renowned military leader whose family maintained a long-standing martial tradition.
While the surname is chiefly associated with Christian faith in the British Isles, its etymology remains firmly rooted in the Latin and Gaelic heritage that characterised the medieval period. Its variants and recorded instances across England and Scotland attest to its enduring presence in the genealogical and cultural histories of the region.
Typical given names associated with the Patton surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Angela
- Catherine
- Christine
- Dorothy
- Elizabeth
- Joanne
- Julie
- Linda
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Olive
- Sandra
- 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 Patton in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 3,988 people named Patton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,343rd most common surname in Britain. Around 61 in a million people in Britain are named Patton.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Patton
- Paula Patton - American actress
- George S. Patton - United States Army general (1885 to 1945)
- Mike Patton - American musician
- Will Patton - American actor
- Mark Patton - Jersey archaeologist
- Francis Landey Patton - American educationalist and theologian (1843 to 1932)
- Declan Patton - Rugby league player
- Thomas Patton - Politician (1914 to 1993)
- Aaron Patton - Football player
- Peter Patton - Ice hockey player and administrator (1876 to 1939)
- John Patton - American mayor (1822 to 1900)
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.