Atchison
A surname usually understood as a patronymic form, most likely meaning “son of Adam” or, in some lines, “son of Archibald.”
The #4,338 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 37,721 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Older surname scholars generally treated Atchison as a patronymic, formed from a pet form of a personal name plus “-son.” Bardsley notes two possible starting points: Adam, and Archibald, with related spellings such as Aitchison and Atchison. The first explanation links the name to a shortened form of Adam; the second to a reduced form of Archibald, a common Scottish naming pattern.
History
The name appears in historical records in several spellings, showing that it was not standardized for a long time. It is especially associated with England and Scotland, and later spread to North America. The many recorded variants suggest that local pronunciation had a strong effect on spelling.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bowditch remarked that one clergyman’s surname was recorded in a striking number of different spellings, including Atchison and Atchason, illustrating how fluid surname spelling could be before modern standardization.
From the historical record
“WiUelmos Aston, 1379 : ibid. Atoheson, Atchison. — (i) Bapt. 'the son of Adam.' (a) Bapt. ' the son of Archibald ' ; v. Aitche- son and Adkin. 1 7«4. Anne, d. of John Atchison : St Jaa.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)