Erskine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Etymology of Erskine

What does the name Erskine mean?

Among the all the peoples of ancient Scotland, the first to use the name Erskine were the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name for someone who lived on the Clyde river, near Glasgow. The town name comes from the Gaelic air an sgian, meaning "upon the knife." According to legend, a Scotsman under the command of Malcolm II uttered that phrase after slaying a Danish leader at the Battle of Murthill.

Early Origins of the Erskine family

The surname Erskine was first found in at Erskine in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland.

In the year 1225, King Alexander II granted Henry de Erskine, who held the baroncy of Erskine, lands in Renfrewshire. Sir John Ireskin also swore an oath of allegiance to King Edward I of England in 1296. Members of the Erskine family appear in many other documents and records dating from throughout the 13th century and afterward.

A few of the more interesting records show that Henry de Erskyn bore official witness to the Earl of Lennox's grant of a church to the Abbey of Paisley, and that in 1491, Robert Erschin held the office of Canon of Glasgow. 1

Early History of the Erskine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Erskine research. Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1552, 1558, 1572, 1592, 1615, 1616, 1624, 1634, 1662, 1671, 1677, 1685, 1695, 1696, 1715, 1743, 1768 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Erskine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Erskine Spelling Variations

The variation in the spelling of Medieval names is a result of the lack of spelling rules in the English language prior to the last few hundred years. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound, often varying the spelling of name within a single document. Erskine has appeared as Erskine, Arskine, Arskin, Erskin, Irskine, Hirskine, Ersken and many more.

Early Notables of the Erskine family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine (died 1552), a Scottish nobleman
John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar (died 1572), Regent of Scotland
John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar (ca.1558-1634), Scottish politician
William Erskine (died 1685), Master of Charterhouse Hospital
Alexander Erskine of Gogar, (died 1592), Scottish laird and keeper of James VI of Scotland at Stirling Castle
Lady Margaret Erskine (died 1572), a mistress of King James V of Scotland
David Erskine, 2nd Lord Cardross (1616-1671), a Scottish Royalist
John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar (ca. 1558-1634), a Scottish politician
Alexander Erskine, 3rd Earl of Kellie (c. 1615-1677), a Scottish soldier and peer
Colonel The Honourable John Edmund Erskine (1662-1743), of Cardross, a Scottish soldier and politician
John Erskine of Carnock (1695-1768), a Scottish jurist and professor of Scottish law at the University of Edinburgh

Erskine Ranking

In the United States, the name Erskine is the 5,749^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Erskine family to Ireland

Some of the Erskine family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Erskine migration to the United States +

As the persecution of Clan families continued, they sailed for North America in increasing numbers. In most cases, they found the freedom and opportunity they sought. Land was often available and the American War of Independence allowed Scots an opportunity to solidify their independence from the English crown. These settlers and their ancestors went on to play essential roles in the forging of the nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Erskine Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christopher Erskine, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1725 3
Henry Erskine, who landed in Maryland in 1750 3
Thomas Erskine, who settled in New England in 1773

Erskine Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Erskine, who landed in America in 1803 3
William Erskine, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1810 3
A Erskine, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
Alexander Erskine, who landed in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1872 3
John, Richard and William Erskine, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1876

Erskine migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Erskine Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Robert Erskine, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Thomas Erskine, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Erskine migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Erskine Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Margaret Erskine, Scottish convict from Edinburgh, who was transported aboard the "Anna Maria" on October 4, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4

Erskine migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Erskine Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Henry Erskine, (b. 1852), aged 6 years 6 months, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 5
Mr. James Brown Erskine, (b. 1857), aged 1 year 3 months, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 5
Mr. Robert Erskine, (b. 1817), aged 41, British gardener travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 5
Mrs. Sarah Erskine, (b. 1823), aged 35, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 5
Mr. William Erskine, (b. 1853), aged 5, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Erskine migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 6

Erskine Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

George Erskine, who arrived in Jamaica in 1711 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Erskine (post 1700) +

Carl Daniel Erskine (1926-2024), nicknamed "Oisk", American baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball
Albert Russel Erskine (1871-1933), American businessman president of Studebaker from 1915 to 1933, eponym of the Erskine automobile
Peter Erskine (b. 1954), American jazz drummer and composer
Graves Blanchard Erskine (1897-1973), American Marine Corps officer who led the 3rd Marine Division during the Battle of Iwo Jima
George B. Erskine, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1940 (alternate), 1944, 1948 (alternate); Chair of Cameron County Republican Party, 1953 7
Emmett E. Erskine, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 1912 7
David Erskine, American politician, U.S. Consul in Stockholm, 1818-36 7
C. D. Erskine, American politician, Member of South Dakota State Senate 41st District, 1921-28 7
Byron R. Erskine, American politician, Circuit Judge in Michigan 16th Circuit, 1906-10 7
B. G. Erskine, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1932 7
... (Another 23 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Erskine family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Roy D Erskine (b. 1921), English Signalman serving for the Royal Navy from Southsea, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 8
Mr. John G M Erskine (b. 1908), Irish Lieutenant-Commander (E) serving for the Royal Navy from Holywood, County Down, Ireland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 8

USS Arizona

Mr. Robert Charles Erskine, American Private First Class from Illinois, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 9

The Erskine Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Je pense plus
Motto Translation: I think more.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anna Maria voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1851 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anna-maria/1851
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html