The name is derived from a habitational name from a location (Erskine) on the southern bank of the River Clyde, near Glasgow.

Early spellings of the place include: Yrskin (1227); Ireskin (1262); Harskin (1300), and Irschen (1300).

[1] The Scottish Gaelic form of the surname is Arascain.

[2] Legend dictates that the name was given by King Malcolm II to a man who killed the Danish General Enrique at the Battle of Murthill.

The King, in honour of his valour, granted him the surname Eriskine.