From a surname which was originally derived from the name of a Scottish town meaning "projecting height" in Gaelic. A famous bearer of the name was the Irish novelist and nationalist Erskine Childers (1870-1922). Erskine originates in Gaelic languages and means "over the knife". Initially it was used as a surname and as a surname it functions until today. It was derived from the name of a place near Glasgow, Scotland. Famous bearers of the name include Erskine Caldwell, an American author, and Erskine Childers, fourth president of Ireland.
