Origins of the Robertson surname

What does the name Robertson mean?

Robertson is a common English surname, believed to have patronymic origins. It refers to somebody who was the son or descendant of a person given the common medieval name 'Robert'. The name is particularly prevalent in Scotland, where the Robertsons of Struan, Perthshire have been asserted to be one of the oldest families in the country.

Alternative variations of the name Robertson

Robertson, Robertsun, Robertsone, Roberson, Rabertson

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Robertsons.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Robertson family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 1828North West 464Isle of Man 40Yorkshire 721East Midlands 165West Midlands 248East 823London 3432South East 1428South West 270South Wales 61Mid Wales 8West Wales 3North Wales 51Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Robertsons lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

120,000 Robertson Travel & migration records
370,000 Robertsons found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Robertson

How common is your surname?

87th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Robertson surname. The oldest one dates back to 1100.

Who were Robertsons most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Robertsons.

What are the most common Robertson first names?

John

James

Mary

Margaret

Our tell us the names of Robertson family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Robertsons

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Robertsons in 1921

Dressmaker

2,136

Domestic Servant

1,780

F S

1,562

Housekeeper

1,445

House Keeper

1,005

Common male occupations for Robertsons in 1921

Coal Miner

2,208

Farmer

1,850

Farm Servant

1,676

Joiner

1,525

Mason

1,494

We found over 1,000,000 family trees with the Robertson surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Robertsons.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Robertson family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search