This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Patrick.' A once great North-English font-name, leaving many descendants; v. Pattinson, Patterson, Pate, Paitson, Patey, Pattie, &c. The Cumberland surname of Patrickson is almost extinct, but has a representative living in Furness, North Lancashire.

William Patric, Lincolnshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Ivo Patryk, Essex, ibid.

Ralph Paterik, Hertfordshire., 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Patric de Culwen, 35 Edward I: Westm. and Cumb.

Willelmus Patrik, 1379: Poll Tax of Howdenshire.

Johannes Patryk, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

John Paterik, 1379: ibid.

1566. William Patrickson, fellow of Queen's, 1569: Register of the University of Oxford.

Queen's is, by its endowments, the recognized Cumberland college.

1793. Married — John Patrick and Mary Ann Mills: St. George, Hanover Square.

Gaelic Padruig, Irish Padraig, O. Irish Patrice, from Latin Patricias, 'a patrician.' The early Latin life of the saint also gives Cothraige, the name by which S. Patrick was known during the term of his slavery in Ireland, but this is simply a Gaelicized form of Pathruig (with c for Latino-British p). S. Patrick's full name was probably Patridus Magonus Sucatus. Tirechan, the saint's earliest biographer, assigns him a fourth name, Cothirthiacus, which, however, is simply a Latinization of the Cothraige already mentioned. Other early forms of this name, Qatrige and Quadriga, suggested to Tirechan and others a derivation from quatiuor, Latin for 'four:' "Cothirthiacus quia seruiuit uii domibus magorum" (i.e. "because he was a slave in the houses of four magicians"); "many were they whom he served, Cothraige (servant) of a fourfold household" (so in the O. Irish hymn Genair Patraicc). The Tripartite Life (p. 17) states that he received the name Magonus from S. Germanus, and that of Patridus from Pope Celestine, but this is merely monkish tradition. The late Sir John Rhys believed the name Magonus to be a derivation from Goidelic magns (whence Irish mug, servant), meaning perhaps originally a 'boy,' but it is just as likely to be the Roman cognomen Magonus. Muirchu, author of the first formal biography of the saint, says he was also named Socket (the Sucatus above mentioned): "Patricius qui et Sochet uocabatur." The hymn "Genair Patraicc," attributed to S. Fiacc, says: "Sucat his name it was said," and the Tripartite Life adds, this was "his name from his parents" (loc. cit.). A note on the hymn, quoted in the last named work explains this name as "Deus belli uel Fortis belli." The name is etymologically the same as obsolete Welsh hygad, 'warlike.' in modern Scottish Gaelic the name Patrick is found in four forms: (1) PMruig, with t and C unaspirated, but reduced to the corresponding mediae. (2) Paruig for Pathruig, in which the t has been aspirated and consequently lost and c made into medial g. (3) Pam, a pet or curtailed form of the last. (4) Padair or Patair, the common form of Patrick in Arran and Kintyre. This last form enters into combination with cill, 'a church,' in Cill-Phadair, the Gaelic name of Kilpatrick. The name has thus become confused in popular use with Peter and is so Englished. (Per contra, Ceann+phadruig is the Gaelic name of Peterhead in Durcan Macintyre's Oran no gasaid (Songs, ed. Calder, p. 392). "Pedair as a personal Gaelic name is hardly, if at all, known out of print" (Celt. Rev., II, p. 35). In Scotland not only is Patrick frequently called by the endearing diminutive Peter, but Peter is often called Patrick. In fact, as it has been said, Patrick is the "Sunday name," Peter the everyday one. In the discussion in the House of Lords on the Breadalbane peerage claims (1867) the counsel alluding to a person who had been mentioned in the course of the evidence called him Captain Patrick Campbell. The Chancellor said the captain's name was not Patrick, but Peter. His Lordship was assured they were convertible terms. Lord Robertson (1794—1855), who was christened Patrick, was invariably called Peter (nicknamed "Peter o' the Painch" by Sir Walter Scott because of his rotundity; Maidment, Pasquils, p. 222-223); and Patrick Fraser Tytler, the historian, was known to his immediate relatives as "Peter" (Burgon, Life, p. 16). Patrick was one of the most popular names in the west of Scotland in pre-Reformation times, and in Ireland only became a popular forename after 1600, due probably to its introduction by the Scots settlers in Ulster. As a surname it is common in Ayrshire, and the old family of that name appear to have been connected with Kilwinning Abbey. Patrick, subprior of Durham, became abbot of Dunfermline. J201 (Annals, p. 333). Patricks of Dunminning, county Antrim, ere of Scottish extraction, descendants of the Ayrshire family. John Patric was a notary in 1429 (Robertson, Ayr Farn., II, p. 267). James Patrick heir of Hew Patrick of Thomedyke his father, 1658 (Retours, Ayr, 501). Robert William Cochran-Patrick (1842-1897), a distinguished numismatist, was under-secretary for Scotland. Comes (earl) Patric was a charter witness, c. 1211 (Kelso, 403). With gille- it gives the common Gaelic personal name Gillepatrick, hence Macphatrick and Paterson.

The personal name, borne by the patron saint of Ireland. It seems to have originated several other names which will be found below. Patric, Patrick, Patryk, &c., are the spellings in H.R., and the surname appears to have been common in the XIII. century.

A senator. The family are descended from John Patrick, 1459.

From the Latin Patricius, noble, a senator; the name of the tutelary saint of Ireland.