Introduction
Family tree according to William Aiton's book in 1830

Aytons of Scotland

Introduction

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

Family tree according to William Aiton's book in 1830

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

Aitons of Aiton, Berwickshire

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

Aytouns of Aytoun, Fife

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.

Aitons of Avondale, Lanarkshire

founders came from county of Fife

Table of Contents

Aytons of Scotland

Introduction

Family tree according to William Aiton's book in 1830

Aitons of Aiton, Berwickshire

Aytouns of Aytoun, Fife

Aitons of Avondale, Lanarkshire