Patterson Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Patterson Family History

Patterson Family History

The ancient origin of the name Patterson was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Meaning 'the son of Patrick', Patterson is a baptismal name. Variants include Paterson, Pattison, Pattinson and Paitson. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Robert Pattensone, County Yorkshire, who was recorded in the ancient book 'Feodarium Prioratus Dunelmensis', in the thirteenth century. A Thomas Pateson was recorded as Rector of Welborne, County Norfolk, in the year 1697. A Jenet Pateson of Much Singleton, was recorded in the 'Lancashire Wills at Richmond' in the year 1623.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

Patterson is also an occasional anglicized form of the Gaelic O'Casain sept of County Galway who more often changed their name to Cussane. MacPadden is another variant name sometimes used for Patterson.The Patterson family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Patterson descendants.