Clan Paterson: A Legacy of Patrick’s Sons, Highland Links and the Laurel of Achievement
Introduction
Clan Paterson, also written Patterson, Patrickson, Patersoun, and Patrisoun, is best understood as a historic Scottish patronymic surname and clan-associated tradition, rather than one single ancient Highland clan with one universally recognised chief, one original castle and one continuous chiefly seat.
The name is associated with:
The Scottish Highlands
The Scottish Lowlands
Aberdeen
Argyll
Loch Fyne
Clan MacLaren
Clan Lamont
Clan Farquharson, in some traditions
Clan MacDonald, in some regional cases
The wider Scottish diaspora
The surname means:
Son of Patrick
or:
Son of Pádraig / Phádraig
The motto commonly associated with Paterson is:
“Huc Tendimus Omnes”
“We all strive for this.”
The crest commonly associated with Paterson is:
A dexter hand issuing out of a cloud, holding a branch of laurel, all Proper.
In simpler terms, this is a right hand emerging from a cloud and holding a laurel branch. Modern clan-reference material gives this crest and motto, and lists Paterson as an armigerous clan with no current chief.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Paterson
The surname Paterson is patronymic.
It comes from the personal name:
Patrick
and means:
Patrick’s son
or:
son of Patrick
The name Patrick comes from Latin Patricius, meaning a nobleman or patrician. In Scotland, Patrick became a popular Christian name long before the modern surname became fixed.
Historic forms and related names include:
Paterson
Patterson
Patrickson
Patersoun
Patrisoun
Patonson
Paton
Patton
Pate
Pattison
MacPatrick
MacPhádraig
MacPhàdraig
Electric Scotland states that Paterson or Patrickson simply means son of Patrick, and that the surname does not belong to one single district. It also notes early Scottish records in 1446, when William Patrison and John Patonson appeared as witnesses in Aberdeen.
Because Paterson is patronymic, different Paterson families could arise independently wherever a man named Patrick had descendants known as Patrick’s sons.
That makes Paterson a surname of wide Scottish spread, rather than a clan tied to only one glen, castle or chiefship.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Associations
Clan Paterson’s Scottish associations include:
Aberdeen
Argyll
Loch Fyne
Perthshire
Balquhidder
Clan MacLaren country
Cowal and Clan Lamont territory
The Scottish Highlands
The Scottish Lowlands
Ulster
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
The United States
Modern clan-reference material associates Paterson with lands on the north side of Loch Fyne, while Electric Scotland emphasises that the surname appears across Scotland and belongs to no single district.
For many Scottish Patersons, the strongest clan connections are through:
Clan MacLaren
Clan Lamont
Clan Farquharson, in some sources
Clan MacDonald, in some local or Gaelic-name traditions
Clan MacLaren Society of North America treats Patterson / Paterson / MacPatrick families of Scots descent as eligible for Clan MacLaren membership.
The safest professional wording is:
Paterson is a Scottish patronymic surname with its own crest, motto and tartan traditions, while many Paterson and Patterson families may identify through Clan MacLaren, Clan Lamont or other clan associations depending on ancestry and region.
Chapter III: Important People and Families of Clan Paterson
William Patrison and John Patonson
Two of the earliest recorded Scottish bearers are:
William Patrison
and
John Patonson
They appear as witnesses in Aberdeen in 1446.
This gives the name a clear medieval Scottish documentary presence.
The Patersons of Highland and Lowland Scotland
Because the name means son of Patrick, Paterson families arose in more than one place.
Some were Highland.
Some were Lowland.
Some were linked to Gaelic forms such as MacPhádraig.
Others developed in burghs, parishes, farms and towns through ordinary patronymic naming.
Paterson and Clan MacLaren
One of the strongest Highland clan associations is with Clan MacLaren.
The MacLaren society explicitly treats Patterson families of Scots descent as part of the MacLaren-associated surname community.
This makes MacLaren a meaningful route for Paterson descendants whose family traditions or records point toward Perthshire, Balquhidder or MacLaren country.
Paterson and Clan Lamont
Paterson is also often associated with Clan Lamont, especially where family roots point toward Argyll, Cowal, Loch Fyne or western Scotland.
This link fits the wider Gaelic naming world where Patrick and MacPatrick forms could be absorbed into different clan territories.
Paterson and Clan Farquharson
Some surname sources also connect Paterson with Clan Farquharson. This is most relevant where family tradition or genealogy supports a Deeside, Aberdeenshire or Highland north-east connection.
Chapter IV: Historic Sites and Research Places
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is important because of the early 1446 record of William Patrison and John Patonson.
For Paterson descendants, Aberdeen represents:
Early documentary evidence
North-east Scottish roots
Medieval witness records
A possible starting point for genealogy
Loch Fyne
Modern clan-reference material associates Paterson lands with the north side of Loch Fyne.
This gives the name a western Scottish and Argyllshire association.
Balquhidder and Clan MacLaren Country
For Patersons linked to Clan MacLaren, Balquhidder and the surrounding Perthshire landscape may be important.
This is especially relevant for families using MacPatrick, Patrickson, Paterson or Patterson as associated names within the MacLaren tradition.
Cowal and Clan Lamont Country
For Patersons linked to Clan Lamont, Cowal and Loch Fyne country may be important.
This route is strongest where family history points to Argyll, western Scotland or Lamont-associated territories.
The Archive as Stronghold
Because Paterson is a widespread patronymic surname, family records matter more than a single clan legend.
Useful sources include:
Parish registers
Kirk session records
Sasines and land records
Military records
Guild and burgh records
Emigration records
Clan society records
DNA surname projects
The key question is not simply:
What clan is Paterson?
It is:
Which Paterson line?
Chapter V: Clan Status and Clan Associations
Clan Paterson is generally treated as armigerous.
That means it has heraldic and tartan identity, but no current chief recognised in the same formal way as major chiefly clans such as Campbell, Gordon, Grant, MacLeod or Sinclair. Modern clan-reference material lists Paterson as an armigerous clan with no chief.
Paterson descendants may therefore have several valid heritage routes:
Paterson tartan and surname identity
Clan MacLaren association, where family history supports it
Clan Lamont association, where western Scottish roots support it
Clan Farquharson association, where regional tradition supports it
District tartans, where place of origin is clearer than clan affiliation
For accuracy, it is best not to force all Patersons into one clan.
The surname is too widespread for that.
Chapter VI: Crest, Motto and Badge Traditions
Clan Crest
The Paterson crest is commonly given as:
A dexter hand issuing out of a cloud, holding a branch of laurel, all Proper.
This means a right hand emerging from a cloud and holding a laurel branch.
The symbolism suggests:
Achievement
Victory
Honour
Aspiration
Reward after effort
Success reached through striving
The laurel has long been a symbol of victory, learning, distinction and honour.
Clan Motto
The Paterson motto is:
“Huc Tendimus Omnes”
This is commonly translated as:
“We all strive for this.”
It means:
We aim toward this goal
We strive together
We seek honour and achievement
The family moves toward a shared purpose
For Paterson, this motto fits the surname’s broad nature. Paterson families may come from many places, but the motto gives them a shared direction.
Clan Badge
A distinct plant badge for Paterson is not consistently recorded in major clan references.
For accuracy, the strongest Paterson symbols are:
The laurel branch
The motto “We all strive for this”
The Paterson tartans
The name meaning “son of Patrick”
MacLaren and Lamont associations where supported by ancestry
Chapter VII: Clan Paterson Tartans
Paterson Tartan
The Paterson tartan is recorded in the Scottish Register of Tartans in multiple forms, including Paterson Personal and Paterson Dalgleish Version. The Paterson Dalgleish Version is categorised as a Clan/Family tartan and was prepared for weaving by D. C. Dalgliesh Ltd.
Paterson Personal Tartan
The Paterson Personal tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 3300.
Paterson Dalgleish Version
The Paterson Dalgleish Version tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 5094.
The Register lists it as a Clan/Family tartan and notes that it was prepared for weaving by D. C. Dalgliesh Ltd.
MacLaren Tartan Option
Because many Paterson and Patterson families are associated with Clan MacLaren, some descendants may choose a MacLaren tartan where family history supports that connection. Clan MacLaren Society of North America includes Patterson families of Scots descent within its membership tradition.
Lamont Tartan Option
Where Paterson ancestry points to Argyll, Cowal or Loch Fyne, some families may identify through Clan Lamont and choose Lamont tartans.
The Meaning of Paterson Tartan Today
For modern Paterson descendants, tartan represents:
Scottish surname pride
The meaning “son of Patrick”
The laurel branch crest
The motto “We all strive for this”
MacLaren links where appropriate
Lamont links where appropriate
Family pride and diaspora identity
The Paterson tartans give this widespread surname a visible Scottish heritage identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Paterson represents a Scottish identity built on patronymic descent, Christian naming tradition, Highland associations, tartan identity and family endurance.
Its story includes:
The meaning “son of Patrick”
Early Aberdeen records in 1446
MacPhádraig and MacPatrick Gaelic forms
Clan MacLaren association
Clan Lamont association
Possible Farquharson links
Paterson tartans
The laurel branch crest
The motto “Huc Tendimus Omnes”
Armigerous modern status
A wide Scottish diaspora
Associated forms include:
Paterson
Patterson
Patrickson
Patersoun
Patrisoun
Patonson
Paton
Patton
Pattison
MacPatrick
MacPhádraig
This is not a single-castle Highland saga.
It is a Scottish surname story: broad, old, adaptable and carried across many regions.
Chapter IX: Clan Paterson Today
Today, Paterson is best described as a Scottish patronymic surname and armigerous clan-associated tradition.
Modern Paterson identity can be found through:
Family history research
Tartan wearing
Study of Aberdeen records
Clan MacLaren association where supported
Clan Lamont association where supported
Research into Loch Fyne, Argyll and Perthshire roots
Scottish heritage events
Diaspora family networks
For Paterson descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s region:
Aberdeen?
Argyll?
Loch Fyne?
Perthshire?
Balquhidder?
Cowal?
Deeside?
Ulster?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine whether the strongest heritage path is Paterson itself, MacLaren, Lamont, Farquharson, or a district-based Scottish identity.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Paterson
The story of Clan Paterson begins with a simple meaning:
Son of Patrick.
From that patronymic root came families across Scotland.
Some appeared in Aberdeen records.
Some joined Highland clan traditions.
Some travelled through Argyll, Perthshire, Ulster and beyond.
Some became Paterson.
Some became Patterson.
Some preserved older Patrickson or MacPatrick forms.
Its crest, the hand holding laurel, speaks of achievement and honour.
Its motto gives the name its voice:
Huc Tendimus Omnes — We all strive for this.
That phrase captures the Paterson spirit: many branches, many regions, one shared movement toward honour, family memory and identity.
From Aberdeen to Loch Fyne, from MacLaren and Lamont country to descendants across the world, Clan Paterson continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, laurel, old records, Gaelic name forms, family stories and the pride of those who still honour the name.
Tartan Time Machine Closing Paragraph
At Tartan Time Machine, we bring Scotland’s past into the present by exploring the clans, surnames, castles, kirkyards, tartans, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan Paterson is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Patrick’s sons, Highland links, MacLaren and Lamont associations, laurel crests, tartans, Scottish records and the striving motto: We all strive for this.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com