Patterson is a surname originating in Scotland, Ireland, and Northern England meaning "son of Patrick".^[1] There are other spellings, including Pattison and Pattinson. Notable people with the surname Patterson include:

A

• Ahmet Patterson (fl. 2010s), English boxer of Turkish Cypriot and Jamaican origin
• Alan Patterson (born 1941), New Zealand field hockey player
• Alan Patterson (1886–1916), British athlete
• Albert Patterson (1894–1954), American politician and assassination victim
• Alexander Bell Patterson (1911–1993), Canadian politician
• Alvin "Seeco" Patterson (1930–2021), Jamaican percussionist
• Ambrose McCarthy Patterson (1877–1967), Australian artist
• Andre Patterson (born 1983), American basketball player
• Andrew Patterson (cricketer) (born 1975), Irish cricketer
• Andrew Patterson (architect) (born 1960) New Zealand architect
• Andrew Patterson (Patterson), fictional academic in the 1981 UK radio series Patterson
• Anne W. Patterson (born 1949), American diplomat
• Arthur Gordon Patterson (1917–1996), British Army general
• Arthur Lindo Patterson (1902–1966), Canadian/American physicist

B

• Benjamin B. Patterson (1910–1986), American businessman and politician
• Beth Patterson (fl. 1990s–2020s), Irish musician
• Bobby Patterson (disambiguation)
• Brian Patterson (born 1965), Bicycle Motorcross (BMX) racer
• L. Brooks Patterson (1939–2019), American politician
• Bruce Patterson (disambiguation)

C

• C. H. Patterson (1912–2006), American psychologist
• Carlile Pollock Patterson (1816–1881), American civil engineer
• Carly Patterson (born 1988), American gymnast
• Cecil Frederick Patterson (1891–1961), Canadian horticulturalist
• Charles E. Patterson (1842–1913), New York politician
• Charles Richard Patterson (1833–1910), African-American carriage manufacturer, entrepreneur and civil rights activist
• Charlotte Patterson (fl. 1970s–2020s), American psychologist
• Christian Patterson (born 1972), American photographer
• Christopher Salmon Patterson (1823–1893), Canadian judge
• Christopher Stuart Patterson (1842–1924), American Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School
• Eleanor "Cissy" Patterson (1881–1948), American newspaper editor
• Clair Cameron Patterson (1922–1995), American geochemist
• Claude Patterson (born 1941), American wrestler
• Colin Patterson (disambiguation), several people
• Cordarrelle Patterson (born 1991), American football player
• Corey Patterson (born 1979), American baseball player

D

• Daniel Patterson (disambiguation)
• Darren Patterson (born 1969), Northern Ireland footballer
• David A. Patterson (born 1947), computer science professor at UC Berkeley
• David J. Patterson (fl. 1970s–2000s), Irish scientist at Marine Biological Laboratory; generally known as "Paddy" Patterson
• David T. Patterson (1818–1891), American politician
• Diana Patterson (born c. 1951), Australian Antarctic worker
• Don Patterson (disambiguation)
• Duncan Patterson (born 1975), Liverpool born songwriter

E

• Ed Patterson (born 1972), Canadian hockey player
• Edna Patterson (1914–1998), Soviet spy
• Eddie Patterson (born 1968), Irish football manager
• Eleanor Patterson (born 1996), Australian high jumper
• Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte (1785–1879), first wife of Jérôme Bonaparte
• Ellis E. Patterson (1897–1985), American politician
• Emma Patterson (1848–1886), British feminist and union activist
• Eugene Patterson (1923–2013), American journalist and civil rights activist.

F

• Floyd Patterson (1935–2006), world heavyweight champion boxer
• Francine Patterson (born 1947), American gorilla researcher, daughter of C. H. Patterson
• Francis E. Patterson (1821–1862), American military officer
• Frank Patterson (1938–2000), Irish tenor
• Frank Harris Patterson (1890—1976), Canadian lawyer and historian
• Fredrick Patterson (1871–1932), African-American entrepreneur and first car manufacturer of the Greenfield-Patterson automobile of 1915
• Frederick D. Patterson (1901–1988), American veterinarian and college president
• Freeman Patterson (born 1937), Canadian photographer

G

• Gary Patterson (born 1960), American football coach
• Gavin Patterson (born 1967), British business executive
• George Patterson (disambiguation), several people
• Gil Patterson (born 1955), American baseball player
• Gilbert B. Patterson (1863–1922), member of U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina
• Gilbert E. Patterson (1939–2007), American bishop
• Glenn Patterson (1961–), An award winning writer and novelist from Belfast, Northern Ireland

H

• Hank Patterson (1888–1975), American actor and musician
• Hannah J. Patterson (1879–1937), American suffragist
• Harry Patterson (1929–2022), British novelist who writes as Jack Higgins
• Harry Norton Patterson (1853–1919), American printer and botanist
• Harry J. Patterson (1866–1946), American college president
• Harvey Patterson (1924–2014), Canadian politician
• Hayley Patterson, fictional character Hayley Cropper from Coronation Street from 1998 to 2014
• A. Holly Patterson (1898–1980), American politician

I

• I. L. Patterson (1859–1929), American politician, Oregon Governor
• Imani Patterson (fl. 1990s–2000s), actor from the cast of Sesame Street

J

• Jaan Patterson (fl. 2000s–2010s), founder of Surrism-Phonoethics
• Jacory Patterson (born 2000), American sprinter
• Jake Patterson (fl. 2000s–2020s), American murderer and kidnapper of Jayme Closs
• James Patterson (disambiguation), several people
• Jane Patterson (fl. 1990s), Canadian judoka
• Jane Lippitt Patterson (1829–1919), American writer, editor
• Janet Patterson (1956–2016), Australian costume designer
• Jaret Patterson (born 1999), American football player
• Jarrett Patterson (born 1999), American football player
• Javon Patterson (born 1997), American football player
• Jerry Patterson (disambiguation), several people including:
  • Jerry E. Patterson (born 1946), former Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas
  • Jerry L. Patterson (fl. 1970s–2000s), American author of five gambling related books
  • Jerry M. Patterson (born 1934), American politician from California
• John Patterson (disambiguation), several people including:
  • John W. Patterson (1872–1940), nicknamed "Pat", African American baseball player around the turn of the 20th century
  • John Henry Patterson (author) (1867–1947), Anglo-Irish soldier who wrote The Man-Eaters of Tsavo which was made into the film The Ghost and the Darkness in 1996
  • John Henry Patterson (Medal of Honor) (1843–1920), recipient of the Medal of Honor
  • John Henry Patterson (NCR owner) (1844–1922), American businessman who founded the National Cash Register Company
  • John M. Patterson (1921–2021), American politician, son of Albert Patterson
  • John Patterson (director) (1940–2005), American film and television director
  • John Patterson (pitcher) (born 1978), major league pitcher
  • John Patterson (infielder) (born 1967), former major league infielder
• Johnny Patterson (1840–1889) Irish songwriter, musician and circus entertainer
• Johnny Patterson (racing driver) (died 1959), former NASCAR Cup Series driver
• Joseph Medill Patterson (1879–1946), American journalist and publisher, brother of Eleanor Medill Patterson

K

• Kai Patterson (fl. 2020s), filmmaker and creator of Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Patterson Cut
• Kathleen Patterson (born 1948), American politician
• Kay Patterson (born 1944), Australian politician
• Kelsey Patterson (1954–2004), American convicted murderer
• Kevin Patterson (writer) (born 1964), Canadian writer
• Kevin Patterson (singer) (fl. 1980s–2010s), Scottish songwriter and singer

L

• LaFayette L. Patterson (1888–1987), American politician
• Leah Patterson, Home and Away character
• Lee Patterson (1929–2007), Canadian actor
• Sir Les Patterson, fictional Australian from the stage show of Barry Humphries
• Liz J. Patterson (1939–2018), American politician
• Lloyd Patterson (born 1957), American player of Canadian football
• Lorna Patterson (born 1956), American actress
• Louise Thompson Patterson (1901–1999), American academic and activist
• MC Ren (born Lorenzo Patterson, 1969), American rapper and member of N.W.A
• Lyndon Pete Patterson (1934–2017), American politician

M

• Malcolm R. Patterson (1861–1935), American politician
• Marckell Patterson (born 1979), American basketball player
• Marnette Patterson (born 1980), American actress
• Marvin Breckinridge Patterson (1905–2002), American photojournalist
• Melody Patterson (1949–2015), American actress
• Michael Patterson (disambiguation)
• Mike Patterson (disambiguation)
• Minnie Ward Patterson (1844–1916), American poet and author

N

• Neva Patterson (1920–2010), American actress
• Neville Patterson (1916–1987), chief justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
• Nick Patterson (disambiguation)
• Norman Patterson (soccer) (1945–2012)

O

• Orlando Patterson (born 1940), American historical and cultural sociologist
• Ottilie Patterson (1932–2011), Northern Irish blues singer

P

• P. J. Patterson (born 1935), Prime Minister of Jamaica
• Paige Patterson (born 1942), American Baptist theologian
• Pat Patterson (disambiguation), several people
• Patrick Patterson (cricketer) (born 1961), Jamaican cricketer
• Paul Patterson (disambiguation), several people including:
  • Paul Patterson (composer) (born 1947), British composer
  • Paul Patterson (neuroscientist) (1943–2014), an American neuroscientist
  • Paul Patterson (footballer) (born 1965), an Australian rules footballer
  • Paul L. Patterson (1900–1956), Governor of the U.S. state of Oregon
• Peter Patterson (disambiguation), several people

R

• Randall Patterson (born 1977), American adventurer and musician
• Ray Patterson (animator) (1911–2001), American animator
• Ray Patterson (basketball) (1922–2011), American basketball player
• Raymond M. Patterson (1898–1984), British writer and explorer
• Reinaldo Patterson (born 1956), Cuban javelin thrower
• Richard Patterson (disambiguation), several people
• Richard North Patterson (born 1947), American writer
• Riley Patterson (born 1998), American football player
• Robert Patterson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Rufus Lenoir Patterson (1830–1879), American politician and businessman
• Russell Patterson (1893–1977), cartoonist
• Ruth Patterson (born 1944), Northern Ireland Presbyterian minister

S

• Samuel James Patterson (born 1948), Northern Irish mathematician
• Sarah Patterson (born c. 1970), actress
• Sarah Patterson (coach) (fl. 1970s–2010s), American gymnastics coach
• Scott Patterson (curler) (1969–2004), Canadian curler
• Scott Patterson (born 1958), American actor
• Shea Patterson (born 1997), American football player
• Shirley Patterson (1922–1995), Canadian born actress
• Sid Patterson (1927–1999), Australian cyclist
• Simon Patterson (disambiguation), several people
• Stephen Patterson (born 1971), Australian rules footballer
• Steve Patterson (basketball) (1948–2004), American basketball player and coach

T

• Thomas Patterson (disambiguation), several people
• Tyson Patterson (born 1978), American professional basketball player

W

• Wilfrid Patterson (1893–1954), Royal Navy Admiral
• William Patterson (disambiguation), several people including:
  • William Albert Patterson (1841–1917), Canadian Member of Parliament
  • William John Patterson (1886–1976), Canadian Premier of Saskatchewan
  • William Patterson (engineer) (1795–1869), 19th century engineer and boatbuilder
  • William Patterson, author of subjects and dialogues for the comic strip Jeff Hawke
  • William A. Patterson (1899–1980), United Airlines president
  • William L. Patterson (1891–1980), leader in the Communist Party USA and an African-American civil rights activist
  • R. William Patterson (1908–1994), American politician
  • William Worth Patterson (1849–1921), American businessman, mayor, and post office inspector