Aickhan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The story of the Aickhan family begins in ancient Scotland among the Pictish clans. The Aickhan family lived in Lanarkshire. But the origins of the Aickhan 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 Aickhan family

The surname Aickhan 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 Aickhan family

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

Aickhan Spelling Variations

Translation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Aickhan has appeared Aikman, Akeman, Aichman, Aykman, Akman, Hekman and others.

Early Notables of the Aickhan family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was William Aikman (1682-1731), Scottish portrait painter, born at Caerney, Forfarshire. "He was the only son of William Aikman, advocate, sheriff of Forfarshire, and a man of eminence at the Scottish...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aickhan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Aickhan family

Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Aickhan name: Francis Aikman, who came to Virginia in 1669; Patrick Aikman, who came to Boston in 1715; William Aikman, who arrived in Boston in 1718; Ernest Akman who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1750.

The Aickhan 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)