Atkinson is an English-language surname. The name is derived from a patronymic form of the Middle English Atkin. The personal name Atkin is one of many pet forms of the name Adam. The name corresponds to the Scottish name Aitchison. The name Atkinson is particularly common in Northern England. At the time of the British Census of 1881, its relative frequency was highest in Westmorland (19.8 times the British average), followed by Cumberland, County Durham, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Cheshire and Rutland. In Ireland the name is common only in Ulster and particularly in counties Antrim and Down. Some Atkinsons are descended from Planters, although the name was recorded in Ireland before that period. Acheson is a variation of the name in Scotland and the Border region, having been originally spelled Atzinson (with the 'z' being pronounced as 'y', as in yet). People with the surname A Adeline Detroit Wood Atkinson (1841–1916), American hotelier Aimie Atkinson, British stage actress and singer Al Atkinson, American football player Alan Atkinson, Australian Rules footballer Alfred Atkinson, British soldier Alia Atkinson, Jamaican swimmer Anthony Barnes Atkinson, British economist Arthur Atkinson (disambiguation), multiple people Arthur K. Atkinson, American railroad president Ashlie Atkinson, American actress B Barbara Atkinson (1926–2015), English actress Basil Atkinson, (1895–1971) Under-librarian of Cambridge University, writer on theology Bert Atkinson, fictional character from EastEnders Bill Atkinson, creator of Apple Computer's QuickDraw, MacPaint and HyperCard Bill Atkinson (baseball), Major League Baseball pitcher Bill Atkinson (designer) (1916-1995), American fashion designer Bill Atkinson (footballer, born 1944) (1944–2013), English footballer Brodie Atkinson, Australian rules footballer Brooks Atkinson, New York Times theatre critic Bruce Atkinson, Australian politician C Cam Atkinson, American ice hockey player Carl Atkinson (d. 1985), Australian diver and salvage expert Chloe Atkinson, fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale Chris Atkinson, Australian rally driver C. T. Atkinson, (1874—1964), Oxford military historian Christopher Atkinson (missionary) (fl 1652–5), early Quaker missionary from Westmorland and one of the Valiant Sixty Christopher Atkinson Saville (–1819), alter known as Christopher Atkinson until about 1798, English merchant and politician Colin Atkinson, British cricketer and teacher D Dalian Atkinson, British footballer Damon Atkinson, Drummer Dan Atkinson, British journalist and author Denis Atkinson, Barbadian cricketer Donald R. Atkinson, American psychologist Dorothy Atkinson (born 1966), English actress and singer Dorothy Atkinson (historian) (1929–2016), American historian E Edith Atkinson Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson, American writer Eric Atkinson, Barbadian cricketer, brother of Denis Eugene Atkinson, American