The surname Aikenhead is of early medieval Scottish origin. It is a locational name from the old barony of Aikenhead in Lanarkshire. The place Aikenhead would have originally gained it’s name from the person who owned it, their name was probably “Aiken” or “Aitken”. The ‘head’ part of the name would have come from the Middle English word “heved, heued”, measing a hill or the head of a stream or valley.
The oldest record of this name is in 1296 when Gilbert de Lakenheud of the county of Lanark rendered homage for his lands. The lands of Akynheuide in the sheriffdom of Lanark were confirmed to John de Maxwell by Robert II in 1372. Also in this year, Convallus de Akinhead witnessed a grant of the lands of Auchmarr to Walter de Buchanan. William de Akynheued was bailie of the burgh of Rutherglen in 1376 and a later William de Akinhede was a notary public in Irvine in 1444.
In 1489 remission was granted to three individuals named Akynhed who, along with a number of others, held the Castle of Dumbarton against the king.
The name is most commonly found in Lanarkshire, particularly in Glasgow.