The Aikhan family saga is rooted in the people of the Pictish
Clan of ancient
Scotland. The Aikhan family lived in
Lanarkshire. But the origins of the Aikhan 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]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)Early Origins of the Aikhan family
The surname Aikhan 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]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Early History of the Aikhan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aikhan research.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1682 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Aikhan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Aikhan 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 Aikhan include Aikman, Akeman, Aichman, Aykman, Akman, Hekman and others.
Early Notables of the Aikhan family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Aikhan Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Aikhan family to the New World and Oceana
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 Aikhan: 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 Aikhan 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.