Surname Picken - Meaning and Origin
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Picken: What does the surname Picken mean?
The surname "Picken" is of Scottish origin. It is considered as a diminutive of the personal name "Patrick", which is derived from the Latin "Patricius", meaning "son of a noble father", "member of the patrician class" or "nobleman". "Picken" thus refers to "little Patrick" or "son of little Patrick". This surname is most prevalent in Scotland, particularly South West Scotland. However, it is found in many other parts of the world due to Scottish emigration, including England and the United States. Given the variations in spellings across different regions and times, Picken may also be found in forms such as Pickens, Pickin, Pickon, etc.
Order DNA origin analysisPicken: Where does the name Picken come from?
The last name Picken is often associated with the United Kingdom, though some variations of the name exist throughout the English-speaking world. In particular, the name is common in England and Scotland, and less so but still present in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
In England and Scotland, the name is most prevalent in the northern part of the country, with significant populations in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, and the Scottish Borders. It is likely that the origins of the name are located in this area of the country.
In Ireland, the name is quite common, and is often associated with the Ulster region. The Picken name in America is often linked to early Irish settlers arriving in New England in the late 1700s. There is also a presence of the Picken name in Canada and Australia, where it is associated with the more recent waves of immigrants in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Today, the Picken name is still quite common in its native UK and various areas of the English-speaking world. Distribution of the name has spread widely, to the point that it is almost evenly spread across countries with English-speaking populations such as the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Picken
The surname Picken is of English origin and it has several variants and spellings.
The most common spelling is Picken, which is of patronymic origin, meaning it is derived from the father's given name. Variations of spelling include Pickens, Pichens, Pickin, Pickins, Pickings and Pyken. Picken can also be a variant of the surname Pickeney or Pickney, which is thought to have derived from the Old English word ‘picene’ meaning ‘pipe’.
The surname Picken can be found in records as far back as the 12th century and it is thought to have originated in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire in England. Picken can also be an Anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Peicín, which means “descendant of Peicín”. This name is most commonly found in counties Mayo and Galway in Ireland.
The surname Picken is also found in Scotland, where it is thought to have derived from the Old Scottish name MacPhickan which means ‘son of Phickan’. Picken may also have derived from the Old Norse personal name ‘Phikki’.
These various spellings and variants of the same surname can still be found in countries across the world today, particularly in the United States, England, Scotland, Ireland and Canada.
Famous people with the name Picken
- Mike Picken: Mike Picken is a British businessperson who co-founded the global humanitarian and educational charity Youth Business International in 1999, and has served in a number of executive and advisory roles within the charity.
- Andrew Picken: Andrew Picken is a Scottish footballer who played for several clubs including Rangers, Dundee United, and Kilmarnock. He scored more than 50 goals in over 200 total appearances in Scotland’s Premier League.
- Chloe Picken: Chloe Picken is a British Alpine skier who has competed at the Olympics and World Championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2013 World Ski Championships and a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in slalom.
- Samuel Picken: Samuel Picken was a photographer and missionary who traveled to India in the late 19th century. He documented a number of events and places in India, including portraits of royal families, and produced some of the earliest photographs of the famous Taj Mahal.
- Jonathan Picken: Jonathan Picken is an English TV personality who is best known for appearances on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here and Celebrity Big Brother. Besides entertainment he is also a successful businessman and investor.