Patterson

/ˈpætəɹ.sən/

//ˈpætəɹ.sən// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"patterson" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Patterson” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,435 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#11,435
frequency rank, English
9
letters
11
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A Scottish and Northern English surname originating as a patronymic.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Patterson vs Peterson
78% similar
Patterson vs Pattison
78% similar
Patterson vs Pattinson
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Patterson
PropertyValue
HeadwordPatterson
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈpætəɹ.sən/
Letters9
Frequency rank#11,435
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Patterson” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Patterson lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Patterson is 9 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpætəɹ.sən/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,435 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Patterson, with forms such as "aptterson", "patetrson", and "patterosn". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "Peterson", "Pattison", "Pattinson", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English Pate, short form of Patrick, + -son. The correct English form is Patterson, spelled P-A-T-T-E-R-S-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A Scottish and Northern English surname originating as a patronymic.
  2. 2
    A locale in the United States:
  3. 3
    A locale in the United States:
  4. 4
    A locale in the United States:
  5. 5
    A locale in the United States:
  6. 6
    A locale in the United States:
  7. 7
    A locale in the United States:
  8. 8
    A locale in the United States:
  9. 9
    A locale in the United States:
  10. 10
    A locale in the United States:
  11. 11
    A locale in the United States:
  12. 12
    A locale in the United States:
  13. 13
    A locale in the United States:
  14. 14
    A locale in the United States:
  15. 15
    A neighborhood of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; named for an early landowning family.
  16. 16
    A township (unincorporated) in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada.

Etymology

From Middle English Pate, short form of Patrick, + -son.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aptterson,patetrson,patterosn,patterrson,pattersno,pattersonn,pattersson,pattesron,pattreson,ppatterson,ptaterson

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Patterson - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

aptterson2patetrson2patterosn2patterrson1pattersno2pattersonn1pattersson1pattesron2
Edit distance from "Patterson"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Patterson"?
"Patterson" is spelled P-A-T-T-E-R-S-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpætəɹ.sən/.
What does "Patterson" mean?
As a proper noun, "Patterson" means: A Scottish and Northern English surname originating as a patronymic.
What words are commonly confused with "Patterson"?
"Patterson" is commonly confused with "Peterson", "Pattison", "Pattinson". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Patterson"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Patterson" is /ˈpætəɹ.sən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Patterson"?
From Middle English Pate, short form of Patrick, + -son. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Patterson”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-T-T-E-R-S-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpætəɹ.sən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Peterson” - see the side-by-side comparison. Patterson vs Peterson
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list