Aikman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The ancestors of the Aikman family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived in Lanarkshire. But the origins of the Aikman surname are still unclear. Some suggest that the name came from the Old English Aecemann, meaning "oak-man." Family lore has it that an officer commanding troops besieging Macbeth in Dunsinan Castle ordered his men to march in attack with branches of oak; the officer then became known as the "oak-man." 1

Early Origins of the Aikman family

The surname Aikman was first found in the counties of Fifeshire and Forfarshire, in Scotland. It is said that Akeman commanded MacBeth's troops in the siege of Dunsinane Castle and ordered the attack in 1057. One of the earliest records for the name was Alisaundre Akeman who swore an oath of allegiance to King Edward I in 1296. "The tombs of ten John Aikmans are said to be in Arbroath Abbey." 1

Early History of the Aikman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aikman research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1682, 1707 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Aikman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aikman Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Aikman include Aikman, Akeman, Aichman, Aykman, Akman, Hekman and others.

Early Notables of the Aikman family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

William Aikman (1682-1731), Scottish portrait painter, born at Caerney, Forfarshire...
Designed by his father for the law, Aikman preferred art and studied for three years under Sir John Medina at Edinburgh...

Aikman migration to the United States +

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Aikman:

Aikman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Francis Aikman, who settled in Virginia in 1669

Aikman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Patrick Aikman, who settled in Boston in 1715
William Aikman, who arrived in Boston in 1718
Joseph Aikman, who was on record in Mobile, Alabama in 1767
Alexander Aikman, who arrived in New York sometime between 1755 and 1776
George Aikman, who settled in Florida in 1781

Aikman migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Aikman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Jessie Aikman, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Aikman (post 1700) +

Granville Pearl Aikman (1858-1923), American attorney and jurist, Judge of the 13th District Court of Kansas (1900-1913); he appointed the first female bailiff in the history of Kansas
Troy Aikman (b. 1966), American professional (NFL) football player
David Aikman (b. 1944), American author, journalist, and foreign policy consultant
William Aikman (1824-1909), American writer and pastor
William Aikman (1682-1731), Scottish portrait-painter
Derek Aikman (1959-1960), Belizean politician who served in the Belize House of Representatives (1984-1992)
Gordon Lewis Aikman BEM (1985-2017), British political researcher and campaigner
Dr. Colin Campbell Aikman CBE (1919-2002), New Zealand administrator
Michael Aikman (1797-1881), Canadian political figure from Upper Canada
Chris Aikman, Canadian astrophysicist
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Aikman Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sub robore virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue under strength.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)