Adamson

Adamson is a surname of Scottish and English origin. It is a patronymic name formed from the given name Adam with the suffix -son, meaning “son of Adam.” The form is related to Adams and Addams, and various spellings arose from regional pronunciation and medieval record-keeping.

The name is most common in Scotland and northern England, with a long history in those regions. It spread to other English-speaking areas through emigration, particularly to North America, Australia, and New Zealand, from the 18th through the 20th centuries. In contemporary usage, Adamson appears primarily as a surname but can also appear in place names or institutions named after individuals bearing the name.

Notable bearers of the surname include Andrew Adamson (born 1966), a New Zealand film director, producer, and editor known for work on popular fantasy and family films; and Stuart Adamson (1954–2001), a Scottish musician who founded the band Big Country. As with many patronymic names, there are numerous other individuals with the surname across various fields.

The name Adamson has also seen use in geographic and institutional contexts, typically reflecting a founders’ or benefactors’ surname. It is closely related to Adams, a more common variant in some regions, and both share the same root in the given name Adam.

See also Adams (surname).