# Atherton (surname)

Atherton is a toponymic surname. One origin is the town of Atherton, historically in Lancashire, England.

## Notable individuals
### A

* Adelbert S. Atherton, former American politician
* Alfred Atherton, former American Ambassador
* Alfred Bennison Atherton, Canadian physician
* Alice Atherton, American 19th century theatrical performer
* Amber Atherton, British entrepreneur
* Andrew Atherton, former principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee
* Andrew Atherton (gymnast), British gymnast
* Archie Atherton, American parachutist
* Arlon S. Atherton, American Civil War veteran and politician
* Artie Atherton, American showman

### B

* Billy Atherton, English footballer
* Brenda Atherton, England international lawn and indoor bowler

### C

* Candy Atherton, British journalist and politician
* Cassandra Atherton, Australian prose-poet, critic, and scholar
* Charles Atherton, British inventor and Civil Engineer
* Charles G. Atherton, U.S. Representative and Senator from New Hampshire
* Charles Henry Atherton, American architect and secretary of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts
* Charles Humphrey Atherton, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire
* Charlie Atherton, American baseball player
* Claire Atherton, Franco-American film editor
* Cornelius Atherton, American steelmaker

### D

* Dan Atherton, British racing cyclist
* David Atherton, British conductor and co-founder of the London Sinfonietta
* David Atherton (baker), English baker and health advisor
* David Atherton, British guitarist and mentor of The Wild Flowers
* Donny Atherton, American BMX racer

### E

* Edwin Atherton, American law enforcement agent and private investigator
* Effie Atherton, Scottish actress
* Eleanora Atherton, English philanthropist
* Ella Atherton, Scottish actress
* Ella Blaylock Atherton, British-born American physician
* Lizzie Aiken née Atherton, American Civil War nurse
* Elizabeth Atherton, British lyric soprano
* Elizabeth Potts née Atherton, American; the only woman to be legally executed in the U.S. state of Nevada
* Ernest Atherton, Australian state level politician

### F

* Faxon Atherton, American businessman
* Frank Atherton, British physician and Chief Medical Officer for Wales
* Frank Peabody Atherton, American composer and music instructor
* Frederick Atherton, American politician and writer

### G

* G. F. A. Atherton, American politician
* Gee Atherton and Rachel Atherton, British mountain bike racers
* George W. Atherton, American educator, and former president of the Pennsylvania State University
* Gertrude Atherton, American writer
* Gibson Atherton, American politician; former Representative from Ohio
* Gordon Atherton, English footballer

### H

* Henry B. Atherton, US Civil War veteran, and lawyer
* Henry L. Atherton, American businessman and diplomat
* Henry F. Atherton, American businessman
* Henry Valpey Atherton, American lawyer, part of the Nuremberg Trials
* Henry Vernon Atherton, American professor and pioneer in the dairy industry
* Hope Atherton, colonial clergyman of the 17th century
* Horace H. Atherton, Massachusetts politician
* Howard Atherton, British cinematographer
* Major General Humphrey Atherton, early settler of Massachusetts Bay Colony

### J

* Jack Atherton, English footballer
* James Atherton (settler), early settler in New England
* James Atherton (photographer), American news photographer
* James Atherton, English actor
* James Atherton (footballer, born 1872), English footballer
* James Atherton (footballer, born 1875) who played for Preston North End
* James Atherton (tenor) (1943–1987), American tenor
* Jason Atherton, English chef
* Jeptha Atherton, former American politician and Revolutionary War soldier
* Jim Atherton, Welsh footballer
* John Atherton (died 1573), English politician
* John Atherton, Anglican Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in the Church of Ireland
* John Atherton (died 1617), English politician
* John Atherton (pioneer), British-born Australian pioneer
* John Carlton Atherton, American 20th century artist
* John McDougal Atherton, American distiller and politician
* John W. Atherton, American writer and academic
* Joseph Ballard Atherton, American businessman and philanthropist in the 19th century
* Joshua Atherton, former American anti-slavery campaigner
* Julie Atherton, British actress

### K

* Keith Atherton, American baseball player
* Kevin Atherton, British Irish Manx artist

### L

* Lewis Eldon Atherton, American academic and author

### M

* Mabel Louisa Dean Paul, a high-profile socialite who was known as Mabel Atherton, by marriage to Colonel Thomas J. Atherton.
* Margaret Atherton, American philosopher and feminist historian
* Mary Chandler Atherton, American educator and textbook author
* Maurice Atherton, British Army officer and ceremonial officer in the County of Kent, England
* Mike Atherton, English cricketer, former member and captain of the England team
* Michael Atherton (musician), Australian musician and composer
* Minna Atherton, Australian competitive swimmer

### N

* Nancy Atherton, American author
* Nicholas Atherton, 14th-century English knight, MP for Lancashire
* Nigel Atherton, British magazine editor
* Noel Atherton, British cartographer

### P

* Paul Atherton, British entrepreneur
* Paul Atherton, British television producer
* Paula Atherton, American saxophonist
* Percy Lee Atherton, American composer
* Peter Atherton, a Massachusetts colonial leader
* Peter Atherton (footballer), English footballer
* Peter Atherton (manufacturer), British designer of instruments, inventor, and manufacturer of textile machinery
* Peter Lee Atherton, American businessman, property developer, investor, and politician
* Phil Atherton, English curler

### R

* Rachel Atherton, British racing cyclist; sister of Dan Atherton and Gee Atherton
* Ray Atherton, U.S. Diplomat who served as the first United States Ambassador to Canada (1943–48)
* Ralph Atherton
* Richard Atherton, Member of Parliament for Liverpool
* Ro Atherton, Royal Air Force officer
* Robert Atherton (poet), English poet from Lancashire
* Robert Atherton (civil servant), British colonial official in Ceylon
* Robert C. Atherton, magazine editor
* Robert "Bobby" Atherton, Welsh footballer who died in the First World War
* Robert Atherton Edwin, New Zealand meteorologist and weather forecaster

### S

* Samuel Atherton, U.S. politician from Massachusetts
* Sarah Atherton, British Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Wrexham
* Simon Atherton, former American 19th-century Shaker
* Sonia Wieder-Atherton, Franco-American classical cellist
* Steve Atherton, former South African rugby union player

### T

* Tammy Ealom (Tamaira Jane Atherton), guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter for the indie rock band Dressy Bessy
* Ted Atherton, Canadian actor
* Terence Atherton, British intelligence officer
* Thomas H. Atherton, American architect
* Tommy Atherton, English footballer
* Tim Atherton, Australian baseball player
* Tony Atherton, American saxophonist and member of Bazooka (band)

### V

* Viopapa Annandale-Atherton, Samoan doctor

### W

* Walter Atherton (architect), American architect
* Walter Atherton (footballer), English footballer
* Warren Atherton, former American attorney and national commander of The American Legion
* William Atherton (minister), English Wesleyan minister
* Sir William Atherton (politician), British barrister and Liberal Party politician
* William Atherton, American actor
* William Atherton (mayor of Preston), British politician
* William Atherton (plantation owner), British slaveowner
* William H. Atherton, Canadian writer and educator
* William Atherton (soldier)

### People with "Atherton" as a middle name

* Aline Atherton-Smith
* Bruce Atherton Smith
* Caroline Atherton Mason
* Charles Atherton Brown
* Ebenezer Atherton Hunt
* Florence Atherton Spalding
* George Atherton Aitken
* Henry Atherton Frost
* Horace Atherton Jackson
* James Atherton Tilden
* Jeremy Atherton Lin
* Jesse Atherton Bynum
* Joseph Atherton Gilman
* Pauline Atherton Cochrane
* Paul A. Kennon
* Robert A. Bakeman
* Robert Atherton Edwin
* Robert Atherton Rawstorne
* Robert Vernon Atherton Gwillym
* Thomas Atherton Powys
* Uriah Atherton Boyden
* Walter Hussey

## Fictional characters

* Bill Atherton in 1978 film Damien: Omen II
* Geoffrey Atherton in American TV series Mad Men, Season 4, Episode 12 "Blowing Smoke"
* Dr James Atherton in 1990 film Arachnophobia
* Lucia Atherton in 1974 film The Night Porter