Origins Available: English,
Scottish
The name Atken is of
Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived the
personal name Adam. Atken is a diminutive which means son of Adam.
Early Origins of the Atken family
The surname Atken was first found in
Westmorland and
Northumberland where they held a
family seat from ancient times, before the
Norman Conquest of
England in 1066.
Early History of the Atken family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Atken research.
Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1296, 1379, 1621, 1601, 1681, 1626, 1685, 1662, 1615, 1677, 1587, 1669, 1630, 1698, 1686, 1689, 1647, 1711, 1610, 1703, 1665, 1670, 1674 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Atken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Atken Spelling Variations
Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore,
spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Atken family name include Adkin, Atkin, Atkins, Adekin, Adekyns, Adekyn, Adkins and many more.
Early Notables of the Atken family (pre 1700)
Distinguished members of the family include Sir Robert Atkins; William Atkins (1601-1681), an English Jesuit; Robert Adkins (1626-1685), English ejected minister of 1662 from Chard, Somerset; Richard Atkyns (1615-1677), an English writer and printer from Gloucestershire; Sir Edward Atkyns SL (1587-1669), an English judge,
Baron of the Exchequer; and his son...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Atken Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Atken family to Ireland
Some of the Atken family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 110 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Atken family to the New World and Oceana
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for
Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Atken surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Sir Jonathon Atkins who was Governor of Barbados in 1663; Henry Atkins settled in Plymouth in 1641; Thomas Adkins settled in East Hartford in 1682.
The Atken 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: Vincit cum legibus arma
Motto Translation: He wins over violence with laws