Aiton
Aiton Tartan Collection
Celebrate an old Berwickshire name with the Aiton collection — a Border family from the lands of Ayton on the River Eye, whose name later reached the gardens of Kew and the court of James VI.
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About the Aiton Tartan
The Aiton name — also spelled Ayton — is a locational one, taken from the lands of Ayton in Berwickshire, "the settlement on the River Eye." A Border family of the Scottish south-east, the Aitons are recorded from the 12th century and held their seat at Ayton, where an old castle once stood amid the disputed marches. As the family carries no separate clan tartan, the name is traditionally worn with a Border or district tartan of its native Berwickshire.
This collection celebrates the Aiton and Ayton name and its Border roots, bringing a fitting district tartan into apparel, accessories, home decor and heritage gifts for those who carry the name or trace their line to the old lands of Ayton.
Aiton Border Tartan Colours
Worn through a Border district tartan, the collection draws on a cool, riverine palette of blue and green with black and white lines — tones that suit a name born on the banks of the River Eye and the rolling country of the Scottish south-east.
Who Is This Collection For?
The Aiton collection is a meaningful choice for the Aiton and Ayton family, descendants of Berwickshire and the Scottish Borders, the Fife Aytouns of Inchdairnie, and anyone drawn to an old Border name with a rich record.
- Aiton & Ayton family
- Berwickshire & Borders roots
- Fife Aytoun descendants
- Family gatherings
- Birthday & holiday gifts
- Everyday tartan style
Aiton Family Heritage
The Aitons appear in record from the 12th century: Steffan, son of Swan de Aeitun, granted lands to Coldingham Priory around 1170, and the family witnessed charters of the Earls of Dunbar. They held the lands of Ayton in Berwickshire until these passed to the Home family in the 15th century, while a branch settled in Fife as the Aytouns of Inchdairnie. Matthew of Ayton was recorded as a Scottish prisoner during the Wars of Independence, marking the family's place in the turbulent Border story.
The name later carried far beyond the Borders. Sir Robert Ayton (1570–1638) was a celebrated poet at the court of James VI and an early writer of polished verse in English, while William Aiton (1731–1793) became superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and author of the influential Hortus Kewensis. From a single Berwickshire estate, the Aiton name reached poetry, diplomacy and the great gardens of Britain.
Aiton Tartan FAQ
Quick answers about the Aiton and Ayton name, the tartan its members wear, and why Aiton products make meaningful heritage gifts.
Does Aiton have its own tartan?
Aiton (Ayton) carries no separate clan tartan, so the name is traditionally worn with a Border or district tartan of its native Berwickshire and the wider Scottish south-east.
What does the name Aiton mean?
It means "the settlement on the River Eye," from the lands of Ayton in Berwickshire — the old elements being a river name plus tun, a farmstead or settlement.
Is Aiton the same name as Ayton?
Yes. Aiton and Ayton are variants of the same Border name, along with forms such as Aytoun; the Fife Aytouns of Inchdairnie are one notable branch.
Where is the Aiton family from?
From the lands of Ayton in Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders, with later branches in Fife and elsewhere across Scotland.
Who are the most famous Aitons?
The poet Sir Robert Ayton, of the court of James VI, and the botanist William Aiton, superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and author of Hortus Kewensis.
Is Aiton tartan a good gift?
Yes. District-tartan Aiton products make a meaningful gift for the Aiton and Ayton family and for those with Berwickshire or Border heritage.
Carry the Aiton Name with Pride
Discover Border tartan apparel, accessories and gifts for the Aiton and Ayton family — honouring the old Berwickshire lands of Ayton on the River Eye.
View Aiton Tartan Products