| ![Show Contents]() Aytoun History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England Early Origins of the Aytoun familyThe surname Aytoun was first found in the county of Berwickshire, where Ayton is a small town "which takes its name from the water of Eye, on the banks of which it is situated, is intimately connected with important transactions of early times. It was formerly dependent on the monastery of Coldingham, as appears from charters belonging to that establishment, upon the settlement of which, between the years 1098 and 1107, under the auspices of King Edgar, that monarch made them several grants, including "Eytun" and "aliam Eytun," the latter being Nether Ayton, on the opposite side of the river." 1 One of the first records of the name was William de Eytone who rendered homage to King Edward I in 1296. 2 Early History of the Aytoun familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aytoun research. Another 252 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1170, 1296, 1440, 1460, 1488, 1513, 1570, 1638, 1644, 1672, 1734, 1764, 1777, 1801, 1813, 1826, 1837, 1851 and 1887 are included under the topic Early Aytoun History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Aytoun Spelling VariationsAlthough the name, Aytoun, appeared in many references, from time to time, the surname was shown with the spellings Aiton, Ayton, Aytoun and others. Early Notables of the Aytoun familyNotable amongst the family name during their early history was - Sir Robert Ayton or Aytoun (1570-1638), English poet, who was also a private secretary to the queens of James I and Charles I. He "was a descendant of the Norman house of De Vescy, lords of Sprouston...
Migration of the Aytoun familyGradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of cholera, typhoid, dysentery or small pox. In North America, some of the first immigrants who could be considered kinsmen of the Aytoun family name Aytoun, or who bore a variation of the surname were James Ayton settled in Virginia in 1716.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Aytoun (post 1700) | + |
- William Edmonstoune Aytoun (1818-1865), Scottish poet and humorist, born in Edinburgh on 21 June 1813, the son of Roger Aytoun, writer to the signet, and of Joan Keir 3
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- 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)
- Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 6 June 2019
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