Of territorial origin from the lands of Skene, Aberdeenshire, erected into a barony in 1317 in favor of Robert de Skene. The first record of the name is in 1296 when Johan de Skene of the county of Edneburk and Johan de Skene of the county of Aberdene rendered homage (Brin, II, p. 203,208). The seals attached to the homage shows that the two Johns were one and the same person. The seal bears the device of a head of John the Baptist upon a charger with a hand pointing down figured in Family of Skene, p. 10), and the legend S loh'is de Sceyn. Patrick de Skene, also of the county of Aberdene, also rendered homage in the same year. The seal attached to his homage bears three sgians or daggers, paleways as now borne, and S Patricii de Sken cl-ici Probably, like many other old families, the Skenes were hereditary possessors of the church of Skene, a vicarage dependent upon the church of Kinkell, and toox their name from it. This supposition is rendered probable by the designation of Patrick as a cleric, and by the fact that in 1358 a Giliane de Skene is mentioned (ER., I, p. 552) who is probably a descendant of the John de Skene who bore the head of John the Baptist on his seal. Giliane, in Gaelic Gilleoin, is an ecclcsiastical name meaning 'servant of (S.) John.' The family enjoyed the estate of Skene from father to son, in nearly uninterrupted succession for more than five hundred years, but in 1828 the last direct male descendant died. Schene 13th cent., Skeen 1509, Skeene 1649, Skein 1601, Skeine 1509, Sken 1474, Skeyne 1594, Skine 1653, Skyne 1586. Skeyn and Skyen also occur. Some Skenes settled in Posen, and the name there appears as Skin, 1586.

(Celtic) 1 belonging to Skene (Aberdeen) [The place is prob. named from Loch Skene, as there is also a Loch Skene in Dumfriesshire (as well as a Lough Skean in Ireland); and as several lochs are named from the colour of their water the connexion may be with Gaelic sgean(n, cleanliness, brightness, apparently cognate with O.Norse skína = English ‘shine’] 2 Squint-Eyed; Wild-Eyed [from Gaelic sgean, n., a squint, v. ‘to look awry’ = Irish sgéan, ‘a wild or mad look’ (M.lr. scén, affright]

(Scottish) One who came from the lands of Skene (bush), in Aberdeenshire.

"The Skenes obtained this name for killing a very big and fierce wolf, at a hunting in company with the king, in Stocket forest in Athole; having killed the wolf with a dagger or skene." Buchanan's Ancient Scottish Surnames.

Some derive their names as well as their arms from some considerable action, and thus a son of Struan Robertson, for killing a wolf in Stocket forest in Athole, in the king's presence, with a dirk, received the name of Skene, which signifies a dirk, and three dirks points in pale, for his arms.

Some derive their names, as well as their arms, from some considerable action, and thus, it is said, a second son of one Struan Robertson, for killing a wolf in Stocket Forest, Athol, Scotland, with a dirk, in the king's presence, got the name of Skene, which signifies a dirk, Gaelic, Sgian, and three dirk—points in pale for his arms. Skians, Cor. Brit., implies witty, skillful, knowing.

(Scotch), Dagger. (variant: Pook, Degen, Isebrants, and Homer.)

From the Dutch, Skene; a personal name.