Surname Houstoun - Meaning and Origin

Houstoun: What does the surname Houstoun mean?

The surname Houstoun is of Scottish origin and is derived from the medieval personal name Hugh, which comes from the Old French 'Hue', and the Old German 'Hugo', meaning 'heart', 'mind' or 'spirit'. In its original form, the surname is usually spelled as 'Houston', pronounced as 'House-tun'. The name signifies 'Hugh's town' or 'settlement', likely referring to a place which was known by the name of its founder or early inhabitant, Hugh. The earliest recorded instances of the name are associated with a place near Glasgow, Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. This surname, like many others, has undergone various spelling modifications over the centuries including Houstoun, Huston, and even Ustoun in Scotland. It is worth noting that, because of historical migrations and variations in spelling, the meaning of a surname can sometimes vary based on the region and culture it's associated with.

Houstoun: Where does the name Houstoun come from?

The surname Houstoun is of Scottish origin, deriving from a place of the same name in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Given that the name was linked to a specific location, it is assumed that the early bearers of this surname were landowners and nobles. The surname dates back to the 12th century, and it has been Anglicized into different forms including Houston, Houstoun, and Hughston.

Over time, people with this surname migrated to other parts of the world due to political, social, or economic reasons. As such, the Houstoun surname is now found in various countries, but it remains more popular in countries with a strong Scottish diaspora such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, for example, the city of Houston, Texas, is named after Sam Houston, a politician and soldier of Scottish-Irish descent, despite the slight variation in spelling. However, it must be noted that the presence of the name does not always denote Scottish ancestry due to the common practice of changing or Anglicizing names.

Variations of the surname Houstoun

The surname Houstoun has various spellings and variant forms, largely due to linguistic adaptations over time and geographical location. Some of these variants include Houston, Houstone, House, Housten, Houseton and Huston. Each variant is spelled differently but the phonetic pronunciation remains relatively consistent.

The surname originates from a place name in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The name itself was derived from the medieval personal name “Hugh”, and the Saxon suffix “-tun” meaning settlement or town, thus it can be interpreted as "Hugh's Town".

There is also a related surname "Hughston", that could potentially be a variant of Houstoun, given that they both incorporate the name Hugh. "Hughes" and "Hewson" could also be connected due to the shared origin of the name Hugh.

Regional differences have also contributed to variations. For example, the Irish equivalent is often "Houston", while in the United States it commonly appears as "Huston".

It's important to note that while these variants and spellings might be related or have similar origins, each surname has its own unique history and distribution that could be influenced by numerous factors including migration, culture, and language.

Famous people with the name Houstoun

• Henry Thames Houstoun: eighteenth century lawyer, judge, and politician from Georgia
• William Augustus Houstoun: nineteenth century delegate to the United States Congress from Georgia
• Thomas Houstoun: nineteenth century lawyer from Georgia
• Bartow Houstoun: nineteenth century American politician from Georgia
• Randolph Houstoun: twenty-first century entrepreneur and investor in technology
• Justine Houstoun: twenty-first century British actress
• Anna Houstoun: twenty-first century award-winning writer and screenplay editor
• Michael Houstoun: twenty-first century New Zealand classical pianist
• Fleur Houstoun: twenty-first century New Zealand singer-songwriter
• Louisa Houstoun: twenty-first century Scottish artist and printmaker

Other surnames

Houston