Atherton (surname)
Appearance
Pronunciation | /ˈæðərtən/ ADH-ər-tən |
---|---|
Language(s) | Middle English |
Origin | |
Meaning | "Aethelhere's town" |
Region of origin | Lancashire, England |
Other names | |
Variant form(s) | Aðerton or Aderton, De Atherton, Etherton, Athurtun, Addertone, Hatherton |
Atherton is a toponymic surname. One origin is the town of Atherton, historically in Lancashire, England.[1][2]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Coat_of_Arms_of_Humphrey_Atherton.svg/175px-Coat_of_Arms_of_Humphrey_Atherton.svg.png)
Notable individuals
[edit]A
[edit]- Adelbert S. Atherton, former American politician
- Alfred Atherton, former American Ambassador
- Alfred Bennison Atherton, Canadian physician
- Alice Atherton, American 19th century theatrical performer
- Amber Atherton, British entrepreneur
- Andrew Atherton, former principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee
- Andrew Atherton (gymnast), British gymnast
- Archie Atherton, American parachutist
- Arlon S. Atherton, American Civil War veteran and politician
- Artie Atherton, American showman
B
[edit]- Billy Atherton, English footballer
- Brenda Atherton, England international lawn and indoor bowler
C
[edit]- Candy Atherton, British journalist and politician
- Cassandra Atherton, Australian prose-poet, critic, and scholar
- Charles Atherton, British inventor and Civil Engineer
- Charles G. Atherton, U.S. Representative and Senator from New Hampshire
- Charles Henry Atherton, American architect and secretary of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts
- Charles Humphrey Atherton, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire
- Charlie Atherton, American baseball player
- Claire Atherton, Franco-American film editor
- Cornelius Atherton, American steelmaker
D
[edit]- Dan Atherton, British racing cyclist
- David Atherton, British conductor and co-founder of the London Sinfonietta
- David Atherton (baker), English baker and health advisor
- David Atherton, British guitarist and mentor of The Wild Flowers
- Donny Atherton, American BMX racer
E
[edit]- Edwin Atherton, American law enforcement agent and private investigator
- Effie Atherton, Scottish actress
- Eleanora Atherton, English philanthropist
- Ella Atherton, Scottish actress
- Ella Blaylock Atherton, British-born American physician
- Lizzie Aiken née Atherton, American Civil War nurse
- Elizabeth Atherton, British lyric soprano
- Elizabeth Potts née Atherton, American; the only woman to be legally executed in the U.S. state of Nevada
- Ernest Atherton, Australian state level politician
F
[edit]- Faxon Atherton, American businessman
- Frank Atherton, British physician and Chief Medical Officer for Wales
- Frank Peabody Atherton, American composer and music instructor
- Frederick Atherton, American politician and writer
G
[edit]- G. F. A. Atherton, American politician
- Gee Atherton and Rachel Atherton, British mountain bike racers
- George W. Atherton, American educator, and former president of the Pennsylvania State University
- Gertrude Atherton, American writer
- Gibson Atherton, American politician; former Representative from Ohio
- Gordon Atherton, English footballer
H
[edit]- Henry B. Atherton, US Civil War veteran, and lawyer
- Henry L. Atherton, American businessman and diplomat
- Henry F. Atherton, American businessman
- Henry Valpey Atherton, American lawyer, part of the Nuremberg Trials
- Henry Vernon Atherton, American professor and pioneer in the dairy industry
- Hope Atherton, colonial clergyman of the 17th century
- Horace H. Atherton, Massachusetts politician
- Howard Atherton, British cinematographer
- Major General Humphrey Atherton, early settler of Massachusetts Bay Colony
J
[edit]- Jack Atherton, English footballer
- James Atherton (early settler to Massachusetts), early settler in New England
- James Atherton (photographer), American news photographer
- James Atherton, English actor
- James Atherton (footballer, born 1872), English footballer
- James Atherton (footballer, born 1875) who played for Preston North End
- James Atherton (tenor) (1943–1987), American tenor
- Jason Atherton, English chef
- Jeptha Atherton, former American politician and Revolutionary War soldier
- Jim Atherton, Welsh footballer
- John Atherton (died 1573), English politician
- John Atherton, Anglican Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in the Church of Ireland
- John Atherton (died 1617), English politician
- John Atherton (pioneer), British-born Australian pioneer
- John Carlton Atherton, American 20th century artist
- John McDougal Atherton, American distiller and politician
- John W. Atherton, American writer and academic
- Joseph Ballard Atherton, American businessman and philanthropist in the 19th century
- Joshua Atherton, former American anti-slavery campaigner
- Julie Atherton, British actress
K
[edit]- Keith Atherton, American baseball player
- Kevin Atherton, British Irish Manx artist
L
[edit]- Lewis Eldon Atherton, American academic and author
M
[edit]- Margaret Atherton, American philosopher and feminist historian
- Mary Chandler Atherton, American educator and textbook author
- Maurice Atherton, British Army officer and ceremonial officer in the County of Kent, England
- Mike Atherton, English cricketer, former member and captain of the England team
- Michael Atherton (musician), Australian musician and composer
- Minna Atherton, Australian competitive swimmer
N
[edit]- Nancy Atherton, American author
- Nicholas Atherton, 14th-century English knight, MP for Lancashire
- Nigel Atherton, British magazine editor
- Noel Atherton, British cartographer
P
[edit]- Paul Atherton, British entrepreneur
- Paul Atherton, British television producer
- Paula Atherton, American saxophonist
- Percy Lee Atherton, American composer
- Peter Atherton, a Massachusetts colonial leader
- Peter Atherton (footballer), English footballer
- Peter Atherton (manufacturer), British designer of instruments, inventor, and manufacturer of textile machinery
- Peter Lee Atherton, American businessman, property developer, investor, and politician
- Phil Atherton, English curler
R
[edit]- Rachel Atherton, British racing cyclist; sister of Dan Atherton and Gee Atherton
- Ray Atherton, U.S. Diplomat who served as the first United States Ambassador to Canada (1943–48)
- Ralph Atherton
- Richard Atherton, Member of Parliament for Liverpool
- Ro Atherton, Royal Air Force officer
- Robert Atherton (poet), English poet from Lancashire
- Robert Atherton (civil servant), British colonial official in Ceylon
- Robert C. Atherton, magazine editor
- Robert "Bobby" Atherton, Welsh footballer who died in the First World War
- Robert Atherton Edwin, New Zealand meteorologist and weather forecaster
S
[edit]- Samuel Atherton, U.S. politician from Massachusetts
- Sarah Atherton, British Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Wrexham
- Simon Atherton, former American 19th-century Shaker
- Sonia Wieder-Atherton, Franco-American classical cellist
- Steve Atherton, former South African rugby union player
T
[edit]- Tammy Ealom (Tamaira Jane Atherton), guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter for the indie rock band Dressy Bessy
- Ted Atherton, Canadian actor
- Terence Atherton, British intelligence officer
- Thomas H. Atherton, American architect
- Tommy Atherton, English footballer
- Tim Atherton, Australian baseball player
- Tony Atherton, American saxophonist and member of Bazooka (band)
V
[edit]- Viopapa Annandale-Atherton, Samoan doctor
W
[edit]- Walter Atherton (architect), American architect
- Walter Atherton (footballer), English footballer
- Warren Atherton, former American attorney and national commander of The American Legion
- William Atherton (minister), English Wesleyan minister
- Sir William Atherton (politician), British barrister and Liberal Party politician
- William Atherton, American actor
- William Atherton (mayor of Preston), British politician
- William Atherton (plantation owner), British slaveowner
- William H. Atherton, Canadian writer and educator
- William Atherton (soldier)
People with "Atherton" as a middle name
[edit]- Aline Atherton-Smith
- Bruce Atherton Smith
- Caroline Atherton Mason
- Charles Atherton Brown
- Ebenezer Atherton Hunt
- Florence Atherton Spalding
- George Atherton Aitken
- Henry Atherton Frost
- Horace Atherton Jackson
- James Atherton Tilden
- Jeremy Atherton Lin
- Jesse Atherton Bynum
- Joseph Atherton Gilman
- Pauline Atherton Cochrane
- Paul A. Kennon
- Robert Atherton Edwin
- Robert Atherton Rawstorne
- Robert Vernon Atherton Gwillym
- Thomas Atherton Powys
- Uriah Atherton Boyden
- Walter Hussey
Fictional characters
[edit]- Bill Atherton in 1978 film Damien: Omen II
- Geoffrey Atherton in American TV series Mad Men, Season 4, Episode 12 "Blowing Smoke"
- Dr James Atherton in 1990 film Arachnophobia
- Lucia Atherton in 1974 film The Night Porter
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell; Bardsley, Annie (1901). A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Henry Frowde. p. 66. ISBN 9785871144015. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ Patrick Hanks, ed. (2003). "Atherton". Dictionary of American Family Names: Atherton. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-508137-4. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
Further reading
[edit]- Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell (1901). "A dictionary of English and Welsh surnames, with special American instances".
- Barber,Henry (1894). "British Family Names: their origin and meaning, with lists of Scandinavian, Frisian, Anglo-Saxon and Norman names: Atherton".