Erskine (surname)

Erskine is a Scottish surname. The name is derived from a habitational name from a location (Erskine) on the southern bank of the River Clyde, near Glasgow. This place was first recorded in 1225 as "Erskin". Early spellings of the place include: "Yrskin" (1227); "Ireskin" (1262); "Harskin" (1300), and "Irschen" (1300). The Scottish Gaelic form of the surname is Arascain. Legend dictates that the name was given by King Malcolm II to a man who killed the Danish General Enrique at the Battle of Murthill. He is said to have shown the bloody knife to king and said "eris-skyne", meaning "upon the knife". The King, in honour of his valour, granted him the surname Eriskine.