This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Adam.' The Scotch Border form of Atkin, which see.

1744. Married — Alex. Aitkens and Jane Mecallpen: St. George, Hanover Square.

1773. — William Aitken and Elizabeth Shelton: ibid.

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Adam,' from the nick. Ade and diminutive Adkin. The Scotch form of Atkin, which see, was Aitkin. This was further corrupted to Aiken and Aikin.

1752. Married — Thomas Aikin and Ann Whittington: St. George's Chapel, Mayfair.

1771. — Henry Akin and Rebecca Adams: St. George, Hanover Square.

1783. — John Aickin and Mary McDannel: ibid.

These names are double diminutives of Adam, formed from Ad the diminutive of Adam with the diminutive suffix -kin (Old English -cen), and with the d sharpened to t. These names have been also explained as = little Atty or Axthur, but the preceding origin is the more likely one. John of Akyne ('of' here evidently an error), a Scottish merchant, petitioned for the return of his ship and goods illegally seized in England in 1405 (Bain, IV, 712). Andrew Atkin appears as a witness in Aberdeen in 1469 (CRA., p. 406), William Ackin was a witness in Brechin in 1476 (REB., I, 199), Andree Atkyn is recorded in Aberdeen in 1491 (REA., I, p. 329). Aitkane of Dunsleson was declarer innocent of part in the detention of King James III in Edinburgh Castle in 1482 (Lennox, II, p. 123), Thomas Atkyn Possessed a tenement in Glasgow in 1497 REG., 476), John Eckin was a tenant under the bishop of Aberdeen, 1511 (REA., I, p. 375), and William Atkyn was tenant under the bishop of Glasgow in 1513 (Rental), John Ackyne was bailie of Stirling in 1520 (SBR., p. 274), Robert Aykkyne was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1539 (NSCM., I, p. 55), and Samuel Atkins was Commissioner of Supply for the city of Edinburgh, 1655 (APS.). Elspeth and James Aitkine in Darnchester took the oath in 1685 (RPC., 3. ser. X, p. 479). Forms of these names are common in the Commissariot Record of Stirling, in the Edinburgh Marriage Record, and in the Records of the Sheriff Court of Aberdeenshire. Paterson says Aitken is an old surname in the parish of Ballantrae (Ayrshire, II, p. 87), and in Orkney it is believed to have replaced the Old Norse name Haakon and its derivative Hakonson. Robert Aitken (1734—1832), born in Dalkeith, was commended by resolution of Congress for printing of the Bible in the U. S. As forename: Atkyn de Barr and Atkyn Blake both in Ayr c. 1340 (Friars Ayr, p. 15), Atkin Scott in Ettrick, 1456. The oak in the arms of some of the name is merely canting heraldry. The -s of Atkins and Aitkins represents 'son,' so these forms are really for Atkinson, which see. Ackyn 1521, Ackyne 1524, Aicken 1681, Aickin 1550, Aickine 1674, Aicking 1669, Aikein 1615, Aiken 1689, Aikin 1688, Aikine 1677, Aiking and Aikne 1658 Aitcken 1689 Aitken 1689, Aitkene 1552, Aitkine 1687, Aitkyn 1549, Aitkyne 1658, Aken 1689, Akene 1669, Akin 1693, Akine 1667, Atkine 1667, Aytkine 1669, Aytkyn 1519, Aytkyne 1522; Aikeyne, Aikun, Aikyne, Aukin.

Woulfe's treatment of this name illustrates a weakness in the work of that great pioneer in the field of Irish nomenclature. In his preliminary summary (p. 79) he states that Aiken is O hAodhagain in Irish, and in his article under that head (p. 557) he gives Eakin as one of the anglicized forms of that name (O'Hagan). Incidentally he does not mention Aiken there, but that is immaterial. The weakness lies in the fact that he gives the impression that Aiken is of Gaelic origin, for he nowhere tells the reader that Aiken is an English name—or more accurately the Scottish form of the English Aitken. It is quite possible that a family called O'Hagan may have changed their name to Aiken, though I have found no evidence of this; it is, however, indisputable that the vast majority of Aikens of whom records were preserved were settlers in Ulster. The earliest reference I have found in past records is to William Ekyn, lessee on the Cunningham estate in 1613 —— all the other names in that list are English or Scottish. Next we meet an Englishman, Robert Akin, who was murdered at Sligo, in 1642. In 1676 Alexander Aicken, a soldier in the King's Guard of Horse, is stated to have been born in Co. Down about 1640.In 1659 Robert Ekin was a householder in Copper Alley, Dublin. From that on the name occurs fairly frequently in testamentary records etc., rarely outside Ulster.

The various forms of the name mentioned above are still extant to—day: Ekin occurs as synonymous with Aiken at Letterkenny, and Eakin is so found in both Counties Derry and Donegal.

The outstanding persons of the name are Dr. Joseph Aiken, author of Londerias, a description in verse of the siege of Derry from the Protestant Defender's point of view, published a few years after that event; and Frank Aiken, Irish Minister for External Affairs, whose work at the United Nations has been notable.

(Aramaic-Hebrew) Northern form (Ādkin) of Adkin (q.v.), with resulting loss of -d-. (English) The Anglo-Saxon pers. name Acen = apparently Oaken. [Old English ácen]

This is the Scottish form of the English Aitken.

Some families of O’Hagan are said to have changed their name to Aiken. SIF 9

“Little Adam” - Scottish.

(English) Descendant of little Ad, a pet form of Adam; descendant of Acen (oaken).

Probably the Scottish form of Atkin.

(Saxon.) Oaken; hard or firm.

Camden derives it from At, a familiar abbreviation of Arthur, and kins, a diminutive, signifying a child, having the same meaning as the German kind, a child, an infant, i. e., the son of Arthur, so Wilkins, Simpkins, etc.

Atkins,Adkins. —A characteristic surname of the midland and eastern counties, being at present most relatively numerous in Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Lincolnshire. Its place is taken in the north of England by Atkinson. These names are regarded as diminutives of Adam.