Where Does the Atterton Surname Come From?

Spellings drift, and Atterton is where Atherton drifted for some families. Like many surnames, it began with a place: “from Atherton, near Wigan in Lancashire”.

• The same family of names includes Aderton.
• Spelled with “t” instead of “h”, Atterton shows how the same name was heard and written differently.

Atterton coat of arms

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Atherton surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the Atterton family name pack.