The Allison Family History

What Does the Allison Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname Allison is of both English and Scottish origin, with its male variant being Allen and its female counterpart being Alison. This name exhibits a range of spelling variations, including Ellison, Allenson, Allyson, Alyson, MacAllister, Allinson, and Alenco. In Scotland, the majority of families bearing the Allison surname are found in the southern region of Lanarkshire. Conversely, in England, the name is predominantly located along the northeastern coastal areas, particularly in Durham, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. In the United States, Allison families are chiefly situated in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Texas. Notable individuals with this surname include novelist Dorothy Allison, Hudson Trevor Allison (born 1911), who was the sole survivor of his family from the RMS Titanic disaster, professional ice hockey player Jason Allison, race car driver Bobby Allison, and John Fall Allison, a 19th-century pioneer in British Columbia, Canada.