see also:

• Ayton surname and clans

Inquiry into Origin, Pedigree & History of the family or clan of Aitons in Scotland by William Aiton published 1830 (pdf) suggests:

• the Aitons trace their descent from a great and noble family of Vesceys who held high rank in Normandy c800AD and were noblemen of first rank in England for nearly 300 years after the family had come to England with William the Conqueror in 1066. Yvo Vescey (from whose 2nd son the Aitons descended) faught well at the Battle along with his brother Robert, and was rewarded with several fine Lordships

• origins of the name
  • name was originally Eytoun from the Saxon words Ey (river) and tun or ton (a habitation)
  • Sir William Dugdale writes it as Aton
  • the family in Berwickshire wrote it as Eyton, Eytoun, or Eytoune.
  • the family in Fife wrote it as Ayton, Aytoun and sometimes Aytoune
  • those in Lanarkshire generally wrote it as Aiton or Aitoun

• the Aitons trace their descent from a great and noble family of Vesceys who held high rank in Normandy c800AD
• Yvo Vescey (from whose 2nd son the Aitons descended) faught well at the Battle of Hastings along with his brother Robert, and was rewarded with several fine Lordships as well as being bestowed with Alda, the daughter and sole heiress of William Tyson (who had fallen with King Harold), Lord of Alnwick in Northumberland and the lordships of Dalton in York.
  • two sons:
    • Eustachus or Eustace Vescey (d. 1157), took the surname Fitz-John from his being the nephew and sole heir of Serlo De Burgh, founders of Snarsburgh Castle - this was held by the family until the reign of King John
      • m. Beatrix
      • William de Vescey Sheriff of Northumberland and led the English army and captured William LION king of Scotland
        • m. Burga
          • Eustace de Vescey
            • sent as ambassador to Scotland to collect taxes
            • had conflict with King John (r. 1166-1216)
            • a baron who joined with his brother-in-law, Alexander II, to invite Louis, king of France to invade England
            • m. sister of Alexander II, king of Scotland (r. 1214-1249)
            • William de Vescey
              • as a minor was put under tuition of earl of Pembroke, regent for Henry III (r. 1216-1272)
              • lordship and castle of Snarsburgh taken from him and given to William de Scutevil
              • m. Isabel (daughter of earl of Salisburgh)
              • m. Agnes (daughter of William de Ferrers, earl of Derby)
              • John de Vescey joined the Crusaders in Palestine and on return was appointed Governor of Scaresburgh Castle, died without surviving issue
                • m. Mary (sister of Hugh de Lazinain earl of March and Engolesm)
                • m. Isabel de Beaumont
              • William de Vescey (d. 1297) appointed Justice of the forest of Trent and Governor of Scaresburgh Castle
                • he was accused by Gilbert de Clare, earl of Chester, of felony but was acquitted when his accusers failed to show up for combat
                • m. daughter of William de Ferrers, earl of Derby
                • m. daughter of Adam de Pereton
                • John
                  • m. Clementia
                • William de Vescey of Kildare (d. 1314 at Battle of Bannockburn fighting for Edward II and died without surviving issue and thus the remainder of the family estates went to Gilbert Aiton who was the lenial descendent of Gilbert, grandson of Yvo Vescey)
                  • m. Maud daughter of Thomas Nivel of Letham
                  • Bishop Beke refused to give William the lordship of Alnwick and sold this to Henry de Percy, ancestor of the duke of Northumberland, in 1309
        • m. Agnes Margaret (daughter of William LION king of Scotland)
          • son
      • Godfrey
      • m. Agnes (daughter of William Fitz Nevel baron of Halton)
      • Richard Fitz Eustace - descendants include noble families of Glandering and Lace earls of Lincoln
    • 2nd son of Eustachus
      • not clear if the Gilbert Aton was the son of Eustachus' 2nd son
      • Gilbert Aton, lordship of Aton, in Pickering Lithe and lived in the reign of Henry I (r. 1100-1135)
        • m. Margaret, daughter and sole heir of William de Vescey (brother of Eustace, father of William who was father of John and William)
        • William Aton
          • Gilbert Aton died without issue
          • m. Margarie daughter and heir of Warine de Vescey, a younger son of William de Vescey, lord of Alnwick in Northumberland
          • William Aton /Eyton - swore fealty to Edward I (r. 1272-1307), summoned to Newcastle to oppose the Scots and found to be heir of law to William Vescey, the father of William the bastard, who was killed in battle of Bannockburn
            • Gilbert Aton who inherited the William de Vescey of Kildare estate
              • received charters to Barnedy, Holney and Knapton
              • William Aton, appointed sheriff of York and governor of castle of York
                • founded the Chantry of the Chapel of St John the Baptist in the Manor of Aton, in Pickering Lithe
                • the descendants kept the Aton estates and names until reign of James III when a brother of the house of Hume married the heiress and became George Hume of Ayton.
                  • the former Vescey estate was forfeited by James Hume / Home for having been concerned in the rebellion of 1715

• Andrew Aytoun
• George Hume of Ayton's wife had an uncle Andrew Ayton, 2nd son of Aytoun or Eyton in the Merse, sheriff of Elgin and Forres, captain of the castle of Stirling in reign of James IV (r. 1488-1513) who was born in Stirling Castle
• obtained charter of the lands of Kilgour in 1504, another to estate of Glenducky in the barony of Ballanbrough in 1506, and one to the lands of Wester Dunmuir in county of Fife in 1507
• m. Isabel, daughter of Kencragie of that Ilk
• John Aytoun of Dunmuir (heir)
  • m. Isobel Barclay
  • Andrew Aytoun of Dunmuir served heir to John 1558
    • obtained a charter to estate of Glenducky in 1542
    • m. Elizabeth Weymyss
    • John Ayton (heir)
      • m. Ann Wemyss
      • Andrew Aytoun served heir in lands of Dunmuir in 1581 and lands of Glenducky 1601
        • surrendered his lands of Dunmuir to the king and obtained a new charter erecting them into a free Barony which became the Barony of Aytoun
        • m. Ann Lundi
        • Sir John Aytoun of Aytoun served heir in 1625
          • m. Lady Elizabeth Wemyss in 1606, 4th daughter of Earl of Wemyss
          • Sir John Aytoun
            • m. Magdalene, daughter of Sir William Stewart of Innernety
            • William Aytoun, sold the estate of Aytoun, died unmarried
            • John Aytoun, an advocate, died without issue
            • David Aytoun, a merchant, died without issue
            • m. Margaret eldest sister of the last Lord Colvell of Ochletree
            • Robert Aytoun Colvell of Ochletree
              • succeeded to the estates of lord Colvell his maternal uncle, and took the name Colvell
              • m. Janet Wedderburn
              • Robert died young
              • Peter Colvell of Ochletree (heir, died 1798)
                • m. cousin Isobel Aytoun, daughter of Andrew Aytoun, provost of Glasgow
                • Robert died young
                • Andrew died young
                • daughters with no issue
              • John died young
              • James died young
            • Andrew Aytoun, merchant, magistrate, and then provost of Glasgow 1738-1739
              • m. Isobel Stirling
              • Margaret
                • m. Andrew Blackburn
                • succeeded at death of Peter Colvell, to the lordship of Ochletree in Fife
              • Isobel
                • m. cousin German Peter Colvell of Ochletree
              • Janet died unmarried
          • David - died without issue
          • 2 other sons died in infancy
        • 4 daughters
      • Catherine Aytoun
    • Robert Aytoun became founder of family of Aytoun of Craigfuddie
      • obtained charter to lands of Pittencondie 1583
      • m. Margaret Ingles
      • Robert Aytoun of Cluny served heir in 1619 - now extinct line?
    • Andrew Aytoun of Dunmuir
      • Andrew Aytoun stood infeft in the lands of Logie in 1637
        • daughter married John Preston of Airdrie
• Robert Aytoun - became founder of the family of Aytouns of Inchdairney
  • granted gift of ward of the barony of Quilts in Fife in 1516 from K James V and duke of Albany
  • m. daughter of Lundi of Balgonie
  • Robert Aytoun
    • m. Elizabeth Pitcairn daughter of Pitcairn or Forthar
    • George Aytoun had a charter in 1586
      • m. Christian, daughter of Ramsay of Corston
      • Robert Aytoun of Inchdairney, served heir to his grandfather in 1649
        • m. Hellen daughter of Hamilton of Kelbrachmont
        • John Aytoun obtained a charter in 1651
          • m. Jean daughter of James Stewart of Rosyth, and granddaughter of Napier of Marchiston
          • Alexander Aytoun served heir in 1684
            • m. Margaret Hog daughter of Lord Harcus
            • Roger Aytoun of Inchdairney obtained charters of estates in 1713
              • m. Barbara Scott
              • m. Euphemia daughter of Sir John Ramssay, Baronet of Whitehill
              • John Aytoun of Inchdairney served heir in 1748
                • m. Isobel, daughter of Lord Robert Rollo
                • Robert Aytoun of Inchdairney, Major General in the army and became head of the clan until death in 1810; served heir in 1784
                  • m. Mrs Mynshull of Charletonhall, Lancashire
                  • m. Jean Sinclair daughter of John Sinclair of Balgregie
                  • John Aytoun esq. of Inchdairney served heir in general to Andrew Aytoun and head of clan Aytoun
                    • m. Margaret Anne Jeffray, daughter of doctor James Jeffray, Prof Anatomy at Uni Glasgow
• Andrew Aytoun - became founder of the family of Aytouns of Kenaldie which included:
  • Sir Robert Aytoun of Kenaldie, secretary to Queen Anne
  • Sir Andrew Aytoun of Kenaldie, lord of a session and took title of Lord Kinglassie and died in 1670
  • the Aytouns of Kippo were cadits of Aytouns of Kenaldie
    • Sir John Aytoun of Kippo was usher of the Black-rod in the reign of Charles II and died in 1700
  • continued until 1756 when the last having failed of issue, conveyed the estate to one of the maternal relations, of the Monypennies of Pitmilly.

• founders came from county of Fife