Arthur
A surname that usually began as a patronymic meaning “son of Arthur,” from the well-known personal name Arthur.
The #1,247 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 10,987 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Arthur is a surname formed from the medieval personal name Arthur. In surname use, it originally meant “son of Arthur” or “belonging to Arthur’s family.” The given name itself has long been associated with the legendary King Arthur, though its deeper linguistic origin is uncertain and has been debated for centuries.
History
English surname dictionaries record Arthur as a relatively rare early byname that later became more common, especially from the 19th century onward. It also appears in forms such as Arthurs and Arter, and has produced a number of related surnames like Atty, Atkins, and Atkinson. In Scotland and Wales it can occur as a family name tied to the widespread use of the personal name Arthur.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley noted that Arthur was uncommon in the medieval records but became much more familiar after the Battle of Waterloo and the popularity of Tennyson’s poetry.
From the historical record
“ARTHUR. The Christian name. Other surnames from it are Atty, Atts, Atkin, Atkins, Atkinson, Atcock. Aikin and Ait- kin may be northern varieties. ARTIS. Artois, the French province. ARTOIS. The French province. ARUNDELL. Roger de A., who took his name from the Sussex town, was a tenant-in-chief at the making of…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom