Paterson
A Scottish surname that most often means “son of Patrick,” though it can also be read as “Peter’s son” in older English forms.
The #4,990 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 43,887 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is generally a patronymic, formed with the suffix -son, meaning “son of.” In Scottish usage it is usually explained as a form of Patrickson, from the personal name Patrick; some older English writers also took it more literally as “Pater’s son,” with Pater being a form of Peter or of the Latin word for “father.” The surname is therefore best understood as a descendant name built from a Christian given name rather than a place-name or occupation.
History
The name is strongly associated with Scotland, and historical surname dictionaries often treat it as a Scots form. Early Scottish records also show related forms such as Pateshall and references to the family of Pateshall in Northamptonshire, but Paterson itself is chiefly known as a Scottish patronymic. In later usage it spread widely through Britain and overseas, especially where Scottish migration was significant.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Nineteenth-century surname writers sometimes debated whether names like Paterson came from Patrick or Peter, showing how often similar medieval forms could blur together.
From the historical record
“-er-\ PATERSON I a Scot, form of Patrickson, q.v. 2 Pater's Son : v. Pater. PATES, Pate's (Son) : v. Pate. PATESHALL (Erig.) Bel. to i PateshuU or Pattishall (Northamp.), 13th cent. Pates- hulle = (prob.) Peat(e):s Hill [M.E.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)