Mollison

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A surname of Scottish origin used to identify individuals or families; a proper noun referring to persons bearing this family name; a name found in genealogical or historical contexts relating to specific lineages
2. An identifying family name primarily associated with Scottish heritage; a term denoting individuals with this last name; a proper noun employed in records, literature, or personal identification related to the Mollison family
3. A hereditary surname linked to Scottish ancestry; used to label people belonging to this family group; a proper noun appearing in historical documents or cultural references concerning the Mollison lineage

Etymology: Mollison is a Scottish surname, and its origin is not fully settled. Etymologists generally read it as a patronymic, a "son of" name built on a personal name, likely a pet form of a given name such as Mary or Malcolm. Because spellings varied widely in Scottish parish records, the same family could appear as Mollison, Molleson, or Mollieson, so the name's early history is hard to trace cleanly. The name is best known in the twentieth century through the aviator Jim Mollison (1905–1959). In 1932 he became the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to west, and that same year he married the pilot Amy Johnson. The two became celebrated long-distance flyers, and their flights gave the surname wide public recognition well beyond Scotland.