This surname may be extinct

Pitcairns Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Pitcairn,' a village in the parish of Redgorton, Perthshire.

Pitcairns Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland91:415,91311,811
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States11:50,218,684817,899

Pitcairns Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Pitcairn,' a village in the parish of Redgorton, Perthshire.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

Of territorial origin from the lands of Pitcairn in Fife. William de Petkaran was one of an assize at Dunfermline before 1249 (RD., p. 222). John de Petcarn or Pitcairn obtained from his kinsman Sir Hugh de Abernethy in 1250 a charter of the lands of Innernethie (Fife Pitcairns, p. 10). Pieres de Pectarne of the county of Fyfe rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, II, p. 204) Andrew Pitcairn and seven of his sons were killed at Fiodden (ibid., p. 27). David Petkarn or Pitcarynn appears as archdeacon of Brechin in 1512 and 1518 (RER., II, p. 169,173). It was Major John Pitcairn of the Royal Marines who fired the first shot in the American Revolutionary War. Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific Ocean was discovered by Robert Pitcairn, R.N., in 1767. The last article Sir Walter Scott ever wrote was a notice of Robert Pitcairn's Criminal trials. The Pitcairns still continue as Fifeshire lairds, but they lost heavily in the '15 and '45. Petcairne 1677, Petcarne 1368, Pettcarne 1454, Petkarn 1413, Petkarne 1448, Pitcarne 1489, Pytcarne 1544.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

A village in the parish of Redgorton, co. Perth.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Local: from the lands of Pitcairn in Perthshire. The family are descended from Johannes de Pitcairn, 1250.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Pitcarnes890/
Picerns752/
Pickerins675/
Pitkriansyah571/
Pede-Croons501/

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
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  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Pitcairns
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