Atherton (surname) explained

Atherton
Meaning:	"Aethelhere's town"
Region:	Lancashire, England
Language:	Middle English
Variant:	Aðerton or Aderton, De Atherton, Etherton, Athurtun, Addertone, Hatherton

Atherton is a toponymic surname. One origin is the town of Atherton, historically in Lancashire, England.^{[1] [2]}

Notable individuals

A

• Adelbert S. Atherton, former American politician
• Alfred Atherton, former American Ambassador
• Alfred Bennison Atherton, Canadian physician
• Alice Atherton, American 19th century theatrical performer
• Amber Atherton, British entrepreneur
• Andrew Atherton, former principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee
• Andrew Atherton (gymnast), British gymnast
• Archie Atherton, American parachutist
• Arlon S. Atherton, American Civil War veteran and politician
• Artie Atherton, American showman

B

• Billy Atherton, English footballer
• Brenda Atherton, England international lawn and indoor bowler

C

• Candy Atherton, British journalist and politician
• Cassandra Atherton, Australian prose-poet, critic, and scholar
• Charles Atherton, British inventor and Civil Engineer
• Charles G. Atherton, U.S. Representative and Senator from New Hampshire
• Charles Henry Atherton, American architect and secretary of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts
• Charles Humphrey Atherton, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire
• Charlie Atherton, American baseball player
• Claire Atherton, Franco-American film editor
• Cornelius Atherton, American steelmaker

D

• Dan Atherton, British racing cyclist
• David Atherton, British conductor and co-founder of the London Sinfonietta
• David Atherton (baker), English baker and health advisor
• David Atherton, British guitarist and mentor of The Wild Flowers
• Donny Atherton, American BMX racer

E

• Edwin Atherton, American law enforcement agent and private investigator
• Effie Atherton, Scottish actress
• Eleanora Atherton, English philanthropist
• Ella Atherton, Scottish actress
• Ella Blaylock Atherton, British-born American physician
• Lizzie Aiken née Atherton, American Civil War nurse
• Elizabeth Atherton, British lyric soprano
• Elizabeth Potts née Atherton, American; the only woman to be legally executed in the U.S. state of Nevada
• Ernest Atherton, Australian state level politician

F

• Faxon Atherton, American businessman
• Frank Atherton, British physician and Chief Medical Officer for Wales
• Frank Peabody Atherton, American composer and music instructor
• Frederick Atherton, American politician and writer

G

• G. F. A. Atherton, American politician
• Gee Atherton and Rachel Atherton, British mountain bike racers
• George W. Atherton, American educator, and former president of the Pennsylvania State University
• Gertrude Atherton, American writer
• Gibson Atherton, American politician; former Representative from Ohio
• Gordon Atherton, English footballer

H

• Henry B. Atherton, US Civil War veteran, and lawyer
• Henry L. Atherton, American businessman and diplomat
• Henry F. Atherton, American businessman
• Henry Valpey Atherton, American lawyer, part of the Nuremberg Trials
• Henry Vernon Atherton, American professor and pioneer in the dairy industry
• Hope Atherton, colonial clergyman of the 17th century
• Horace H. Atherton, Massachusetts politician
• Howard Atherton, British cinematographer
• Major General Humphrey Atherton, early settler of Massachusetts Bay Colony

J

• Jack Atherton, English footballer
• James Atherton (settler), early settler in New England
• James Atherton (photographer), American news photographer
• James Atherton, English actor
• James Atherton (footballer, born 1872), English footballer
• James Atherton (footballer, born 1875) who played for Preston North End
• James Atherton (tenor) (1943–1987), American tenor
• Jason Atherton, English chef
• Jeptha Atherton, former American politician and Revolutionary War soldier
• Jim Atherton, Welsh footballer
• John Atherton (died 1573), English politician
• John Atherton, Anglican Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in the Church of Ireland
• John Atherton (died 1617), English politician
• John Atherton (pioneer), British-born Australian pioneer
• John Carlton Atherton, American 20th century artist
• John McDougal Atherton, American distiller and politician
• John W. Atherton, American writer and academic
• Joseph Ballard Atherton, American businessman and philanthropist in the 19th century
• Joshua Atherton, former American anti-slavery campaigner
• Julie Atherton, British actress

K

• Keith Atherton, American baseball player
• Kevin Atherton, British Irish Manx artist

L

• Lewis Eldon Atherton, American academic and author

M

• Mabel Louisa Dean Paul, a high-profile socialite who was known as Mabel Atherton, by marriage to Colonel Thomas J. Atherton.
• Margaret Atherton, American philosopher and feminist historian
• Mary Chandler Atherton, American educator and textbook author
• Maurice Atherton, British Army officer and ceremonial officer in the County of Kent, England
• Mike Atherton, English cricketer, former member and captain of the England team
• Michael Atherton (musician), Australian musician and composer
• Minna Atherton, Australian competitive swimmer

N

• Nancy Atherton, American author
• Nicholas Atherton, 14th-century English knight, MP for Lancashire
• Nigel Atherton, British magazine editor
• Noel Atherton, British cartographer

P

• Paul Atherton, British entrepreneur
• Paul Atherton, British television producer
• Paula Atherton, American saxophonist
• Percy Lee Atherton, American composer
• Peter Atherton, a Massachusetts colonial leader
• Peter Atherton (footballer), English footballer
• Peter Atherton (manufacturer), British designer of instruments, inventor, and manufacturer of textile machinery
• Peter Lee Atherton, American businessman, property developer, investor, and politician
• Phil Atherton, English curler

R

• Rachel Atherton, British racing cyclist; sister of Dan Atherton and Gee Atherton
• Ray Atherton, U.S. Diplomat who served as the first United States Ambassador to Canada (1943–48)
• Ralph Atherton
• Richard Atherton, Member of Parliament for Liverpool
• Ro Atherton, Royal Air Force officer
• Robert Atherton (poet), English poet from Lancashire
• Robert Atherton (civil servant), British colonial official in Ceylon
• Robert C. Atherton, magazine editor
• Robert "Bobby" Atherton, Welsh footballer who died in the First World War
• Robert Atherton Edwin, New Zealand meteorologist and weather forecaster

S

• Samuel Atherton, U.S. politician from Massachusetts
• Sarah Atherton, British Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Wrexham
• Simon Atherton, former American 19th-century Shaker
• Sonia Wieder-Atherton, Franco-American classical cellist
• Steve Atherton, former South African rugby union player

T

• Tammy Ealom (Tamaira Jane Atherton), guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter for the indie rock band Dressy Bessy
• Ted Atherton, Canadian actor
• Terence Atherton, British intelligence officer
• Thomas H. Atherton, American architect
• Tommy Atherton, English footballer
• Tim Atherton, Australian baseball player
• Tony Atherton, American saxophonist and member of Bazooka (band)

V

• Viopapa Annandale-Atherton, Samoan doctor

W

• Walter Atherton (architect), American architect
• Walter Atherton (footballer), English footballer
• Warren Atherton, former American attorney and national commander of The American Legion
• William Atherton (minister), English Wesleyan minister
• Sir William Atherton (politician), British barrister and Liberal Party politician
• William Atherton, American actor
• William Atherton (mayor of Preston), British politician
• William Atherton (plantation owner), British slaveowner
• William H. Atherton, Canadian writer and educator
• William Atherton (soldier)

People with "Atherton" as a middle name

• Aline Atherton-Smith
• Bruce Atherton Smith
• Caroline Atherton Mason
• Charles Atherton Brown
• Ebenezer Atherton Hunt
• Florence Atherton Spalding
• George Atherton Aitken
• Henry Atherton Frost
• Horace Atherton Jackson
• James Atherton Tilden
• Jeremy Atherton Lin
• Jesse Atherton Bynum
• Joseph Atherton Gilman
• Pauline Atherton Cochrane
• Paul A. Kennon
• Robert A. Bakeman
• Robert Atherton Edwin
• Robert Atherton Rawstorne
• Robert Vernon Atherton Gwillym
• Thomas Atherton Powys
• Uriah Atherton Boyden
• Walter Hussey

Fictional characters

• Bill Atherton in 1978 film
• Geoffrey Atherton in American TV series Mad Men, Season 4, Episode 12 "Blowing Smoke"
• Dr James Atherton in 1990 film Arachnophobia
• Lucia Atherton in 1974 film The Night Porter

See also

• • Atherton (disambiguation)

Further reading

• Web site: Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell . 1901 . A dictionary of English and Welsh surnames, with special American instances .
• Web site: Barber,Henry . 1894 . British Family Names: their origin and meaning, with lists of Scandinavian, Frisian, Anglo-Saxon and Norman names: Atherton .

External links

• Atherton families global international study
• Atherton at the Guild of One-Name Studies

Notes and References

1. Book: Bardsley . Charles Wareing Endell . Bardsley . Annie . A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances . . 1901 . 24 May 2021 . 66. 9785871144015 .
2. Book: 2003 . Patrick Hanks . Dictionary of American Family Names: Atherton . Atherton . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-508137-4 . 3 March 2021.