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Origins of the Atkinson surname

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What does the name Atkinson mean?

Atkinson is an English patronymic name, thought to have arisen from 'Atkin' or 'Addy', both Middle English diminutive forms of 'Adam'. It is particularly prevalent in the north of the country, and is popular in Northern Ireland (thought to be brought across by the plantation of Ulster in the 1600s and 1700s. The name Adam is one of the most popular forenames of the medieval period, giving rise to the popularity of this patronymic.

Alternative variations of the name Atkinson

Atkinson, Atkinsone, Atkinsun, Aitkinson, Atkenson

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Where do most Atkinsons live?

In 1921, most Atkinsons lived in Yorkshire.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Atkinsons

How common is your surname?

102nd most common surname in the UK

We have 302,000 records for the Atkinson surname. The oldest one dates back to 1264.

Who were Atkinsons most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Wilsons

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Atkinsons.

What are the most common Atkinson first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Atkinson family members

Common jobs for Atkinsons

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Atkinsons in 1921
Dressmaker

1,338

Cotton Weaver

822

House Servant

627

Domestic Servant

624

General Servant Domestic

602

Common Male occupations for Atkinsons in 1921
Farmer

1,492

Coal Miner

1,252

Joiner

1,051

Agricultural Labourer

946

General Labourer

904

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We found over 340,000 family trees with the Atkinson surname

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