In ancient
Scotland, the first people to use Attkan as a surname were the Strathclyde-
Britons. It was a name someone who lived in Lanarkshire.
Early Origins of the Attkan family
The surname Attkan was first found in
Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of
Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North
Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they originated in the old barony of Akyne. Some of the first records of the name were Atkyn de Barr in 1340
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) and later in 1405, "John of Akyne, a Scottish merchant petitioned for the return of his ship and goods illegally seized in England."
[2]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) The name and all it's variants are double diminutives of Adam, formed from 'Ad,' the diminutive of Adam + 'kin'
[2]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 Attkan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Attkan research.
Another 188 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1405, 1482, 1497, 1520, 1687, 1676, 1680, 1687, 1654, 1613, 1642 and 1676 are included under the topic Early Attkan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Attkan Spelling Variations
The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different
spelling variations in a single document. Attkan has been spelled Aitken, Aiken, Atkin, Atkins and others.
Early Notables of the Attkan family (pre 1700)
Another 21 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Attkan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Attkan family to Ireland
Some of the Attkan family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 329 words (24 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 Attkan family to the New World and Oceana
The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American
War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them: Ann and Daniel Aiken who settled in New York State in 1811; David, Henry and Hugh Aiken settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1868 and 1880; John Aikens settled in New Orleans La. in 1821.
The Attkan 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: Robore et vigilantia
Motto Translation: Strength and vigilance.