Show ContentsPaddison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the Paddison family. Their name comes from the personal name Patrick.

Early Origins of the Paddison family

The surname Paddison was first found in Ross-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rois) a former county, now part of the Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles in Northern Scotland, which emerged from the Gaelic lordship of the Earl of Ross. The ancestral home of the Clan Pheadirean (Patersons) was on the north side of Lochfyne. Moving from the Gaelic into English spellings resulted in the typical wide range of surname spellings. By example, William Patrison and John Patonson, a 'gentillmen,' were witnesses in Aberdeen in 1446, Donald Patyrson was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1494, Robert Patersoun was 'capitane of ane were schip of Dundee' in 1544, Fyndlay Patersoun had a tack of the lands of Owar Elrik from the Abbey of Cupar in 1557, and so on. [1]

Early History of the Paddison family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Paddison research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1604, 1632, 1658, 1679, 1691, 1700, 1706, 1708, 1719, 1727 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Paddison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paddison Spelling Variations

The medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English created many spelling variations of the same name. Paddison has been recorded as Patterson, Paterson, Pattersen, Patteson, Pattison and many more.

Early Notables of the Paddison family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was John Paterson (1604-1679), Bishop of Ross; John Paterson (1632-1708), the last Archbishop of Glasgow, Bishop of Galloway, Bishop of Edinburgh; and William Pattison (1706-1727), an English poet. Sir William Paterson (1658-1719), a Scottish trader and banker, one of the founders of the Bank of England. One story claims "he came from Scotland...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Paddison Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Paddison family to Ireland

Some of the Paddison family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Paddison migration to the United States +

Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Paddison, or a variant listed above:

Paddison Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Tho Paddison, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 [2]
  • Rob Paddison, who landed in Virginia in 1656 [2]
Paddison Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Paddison, who landed in Virginia in 1717 [2]

New Zealand Paddison 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:

Paddison Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Edward Paddison, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Paddison (post 1700) +

  • George Lucas Paddison (1883-1954), American assistant professor, lawyer
  • George F. Paddison (1868-1918), American politician, 8th, 12th, 14th, and 16th Mayor of Eau Gallie, Florida
  • Garry Paddison, New Zealand footballer who represented New Zealand All Whites in 1975
  • Thomas John Paddison (b. 1883), Welsh professional rugby league footballer who played in 1908 and 1909
  • Gareth Paddison (b. 1980), New Zealand professional PGA golfer


The Paddison 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: Pro Rege et grege
Motto Translation: For King and people.


  1. 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)
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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