Find out how popular the last name Aitchison is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Aitchison.

Aitchison, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Aitchison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aitchison in America

Aitchison is the 20502nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aitchison surname appeared 1,294 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Aitchison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Aitchison to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Aitchison

The surname Aitchison is of Scottish origin and has its roots in the region of Ayrshire, located in the southwest of Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic personal name "Ath-chissane," meaning "descendant of the pilgrim" or "traveler."

The earliest recorded instance of this surname dates back to the 13th century, with a mention of "Aythe Ychyssone" in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of instruments of homage and fealty to Edward I of England. This document, compiled in 1296, contains the names of Scottish landowners who pledged allegiance to the English king during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Aitsone," "Aitchisoun," and "Aitchesone," reflecting regional variations and the evolution of language over time. The town of Aitchison's Haven, now known as Saltcoats, in Ayrshire, is believed to have been named after a prominent Aitchison family who owned land in the area during this period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Aitchison was John Aitchison (c. 1500-1570), a Scottish clergyman who served as Bishop of Dunkeld from 1543 to 1570. Another notable figure was Gilbert Aitchison (c. 1590-1670), a Scottish merchant and businessman who played a significant role in the economic development of Glasgow in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Aitchison family gained prominence in the field of education. Thomas Aitchison (1725-1798) was a Scottish minister and educator who founded Aitchison's Hospital, a prestigious school in Ayr, in 1767. This institution, now known as Aitchison College, continues to operate today and is renowned for its academic excellence.

In the 19th century, Sir Charles Umpherston Aitchison (1832-1896) was a notable British Indian civil servant and administrator who served as the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab from 1882 to 1888. He played a crucial role in the development of the region's infrastructure and education system.

Another prominent figure with the Aitchison surname was James Aitchison (1835-1898), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman. He served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was a successful merchant and landowner in the colony.

Throughout history, the Aitchison surname has been associated with various professions, including clergy, education, civil service, business, and politics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aitchison

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Aitchison.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Aitchison was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Aitchison has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Aitchison was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Aitchison, please contact us.

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