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What are some traditional Scottish last names?

What are some traditional Scottish last names?

Note: Correction 25 September 2014

Position Name Number
1 SMITH 2273
2 BROWN 1659
3 WILSON 1539
4 THOMSON 1373

When were Scottish surnames anglicised?

In the 12th century surnames began to be used in Scotland. Initially they were used only by the elites in Scottish society, but gradually the practice was adopted by more and more Scots in the following centuries.

Where do most Scottish last names come from?

Surnames in Scotland generally developed from four major sources: Geographical or Local Surnames —These are names derived from the location of the homestead from which the first bearer and his family lived, and are generally the most common origin of Scottish surnames.

Are there any Scottish names associated with clans?

There are also endless variations of Scottish surnames and the list below is neither comprehensive nor definitive but is intended solely as a guide to the possible connections a name may have to a recognised clan or family featured in detail elsewhere. Note that spelling of names have changed considerably over the years.

When did fixed surnames become the norm in Scotland?

In some Highland areas, though, fixed surnames did not become the norm until the 18th century, and in parts of the Northern Isles until the 19th century. The influences on Scottish surnames are many and varied and often more than one has resulted in the surname that we know today.

Where does the suffix son come from in Scottish surnames?

In lowland Scotland, the suffix ​— son was more commonly added to the father’s given name to form a patronymic surname. These true patronymic surnames changed with each successive generation. Thus, Robert’s son, John, might become known as John Robertson. John’s son, Mangus, would then be called Mangus Johnson,…