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 Latin Patricius, is found in 13th and 14th cent. English records as Patric, Patrik, Patryk, Paterik; it is the Irish Pátraic, Pádraic, Pádraig (Old Irish Patricc); Gaelic Pàdruig [Latin patrici-us, patrician, noble]

Most people of this name are of Scottish origin. Patrick or MacPatrick is a sept of the clan Lamont. It does, however, occasionally occur as an abbreviated form of Mulpatrick (Ó Maol Phádraig), Longford sept now almost extinct, or even of Fitzpatrick.

SIF 122

(English) Descendant of Patrick (noble or patrician).

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.

This great Norman house, Patry, or Patrick de la Lande, was from La L. near Caen. William Patrick de la Lande is mentioned by Wace as the entertainer of Harold during his visit to Normandy, and as challenging him to combat at Hastiugs for breach of his oath (Wiffen, Mem. Russell, i. 73). In England he held from King William a barony of fifteen fees in Norfolk and Suffolk. William, his son, witnessed a charter of William I. to Savigny Abbey, and had Ralph, whose son William joined Ralph de Fulgeres and the sons of Henry II. in their revolts. Eguerrand, his son, lost his barony, which was given to William de Say. Branches were seated in the north of England. Paganus de la Lande held three fees in 1165 from the see of York. Robert Patric of this line acquired half the barony of Malpas, Cheshire, by marriage 12th cent. Richard Patric was of Lincoln t. Henry III. Richard Launde in 1433, Thomas Patrick t. Henry VIII. Simon t. Elizabeth are mentioned. The latter, who possessed a considerable estate near Caistor, Lincoln, was grandfather of the learned Simon Patrick, bishop of Ely. The Patrics bore vairé arg. and sa., a chief sa. The bishop’s line added three pales.

Lat. Patricius; from the Old Norse, Patrekr; a personal name.

The surname Patterson derives from a first name and means ‘son of Patrick’. The first name Patrick has a long history and goes back to Roman times, where it comes from the Latin word ‘patriots’, meaning ‘nobleman’. The word ‘patrician’ comes from the same source, and the popular girl’s name Patricia is the feminine form.

The popularity of the first name Patrick in this country originated largely from the fifth-century saint of the same name. St Patrick almost certainly came originally from Scotland, but he is famous mainly for having brought Christianity to Ireland. For this deed he is now patron saint of Ireland, and his name is easily the most popular first name there. The diminutive of the name has even become the vernacular nickname for an Irishman-Paddy.

In Scotland, the first name Patrick became synonymous for a while with Peter, and it may well be that some Scottish Pattersons originate from this other first name (Peter comes from the Greek ‘petros’ meaning ‘rock’). Scotland also tends to spell Patterson differently from the English form. The English form almost invariably has two t’s.

There are several variant surnames arising from the same original source as Patterson. The best known of these are Pattison (the form used south of the Scottish border, especially in Cumbria and Westmorland), Patton and Paton (which are from a double diminutive of Patrick, with an added Old French suffix), and the obvious Patrick.

The origins of the surname Patterson become much more apparent in the early versions found in the records-one of the earliest of which is William Patrison. He is mentioned in the 1446 records for Aberdeen.

Australian poet Andrew ‘Old Banjo’ Paterson made a memorable contribution to the nation when ‘Waltzing Matilda’ appeared in a 1917 collection of his verse. Set to music, it quickly became Australia’s unofficial anthem.

Liberal penologist Sir Alexander Paterson emphasised the rehabilitative aspects of England’s Borstal system of reformatories. He felt that it was the system’s job to spark a desire for reform within the offender, rather than try to impose it, and humanised institutions for 16- to 21-year-olds by introducing the revolutionary house system, in which groups of inmates live together with a permanent housemaster and staff. He also promoted interesting work schemes, extended education and a vigorous sports programme.

Scots-born stone-cutter Robert Paterson (1715—1801) earned his nickname ‘Old Mortality’ when he abandoned his wife and five children to devote forty years to the task of repairing and erecting headstones to martyrs.

South African novelist Alan Paton was an early protester against the iniquities of apartheid. His best-selling Cry the Beloved Country (1948) was a moving examination of his homeland’s racial problems.

Financier William Paterson founded the Bank of England in 1694. King William III approved his plan for a national bank when merchants raised £1,200,000 from shareholders and loaned it to the King at 8 per cent interest. William then granted the Bank a Royal Charter.

General George Smith Patton (1885—1945) was the hell-for-leather commander of the US 3rd Army which drove the Nazis back across France in 1944.

The only related place name in the United Kingdom is Patterdale in Cumbria. South Africa has one town called Patersen, the United States has 2, along with 5 Pattersons and one Pattisen. Australia has a Patersen river and a Patersen range while mountains in Canada’s Yukon and in California are named Patterson. New Zealand has a Patterson Inlet while the New Hebrides has a Pattersen Passage.

With about 21,000 namesakes Paterson is Scotland’s 22nd most popular surname. Thus about one out of every 250 Scots is named Paterson. (The name is not common enough throughout England and Wales to be counted separately.) Paterson is notably popular in and around Edinburgh where an estimated one in about 225 families bears the name, and in Glasgow where the figure is about one in 240. Around the world Patersons are most common in Wellington (one in 723 families), Auckland (one in 773) and Vancouver (one in 865). The United States tallies Patersons and Pattersons together-an estimated combined total of just over 207,000 makes this their 95th most popular surname.