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Probably the most well-known Jackson, the American painter Jackson Pollock, seemed to fit the Scottish meaning of the name: "God has been gracious, has shown favor." Born Paul Jackson Pollock in Cody, Wyoming, 1912, Pollock became famous for his unique style of painting, which involved dancing around a blank canvas and dripping paint onto it. Time Magazine dubbed him "Jack the Dripper" and in 2006, Pollock's Painting #5, 1948, sold for $140,000,000, becoming the world's most expensive painting. Sadly, Pollock didn't live to witness it. He died in an automobile crash on August 11, 1956.

In English, Jackson has a simpler meaning-"Son of Jack." It is newly popular as a given name, rising from #498 in the United States in the 1900s to #83 in 1999. In 2006, Jackson was the 35th most popular name in the U.S.

As a surname, Jackson has a long history. The Jackson family name was first found in Northumberland, and Jacksons settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635, Virginia in 1667, and Maryland in 1744. In 1990, Jackson as a surname ranked 13th in U.S. Census records.

There is no shortage of famous people with the Jackson family name. Michael Jackson, born August 29, in Gary, Indiana, a child star and eventual winner of 13 Grammy Awards and 13 #1 singles in the United States, (Thomas Jonathan) Stonewall Jackson, a Confederate general who lived from 1824-1863, Jesse Jackson, a rhyming civil rights activist born October 8, 1941, Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States, serving from 1829-1837, the actor Samuel L. Jackson, born in Washington D.C. and nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the movie Pulp Fiction, and Shoeless Joe Jackson, a baseball player with a career batting average of .356, are just a few of the multitude.

By contrast, only a handful of well-known people have the given name Jackson. Jackson was actually Jackson Pollock's middle name; the same is true for the singer Clyde Jackson Browne, who was born October 9, 1948, in Heidelberg, Germany. "Doctor My Eyes" was a top ten hit for Browne in 1972, and his albums Jackson Browne and Hold Out (which went to #1) were both successful. Browne has performed at several benefit concerts, including Farm Aid and Amnesty International, and in 2004, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Other Jacksons are Jackson Proskow, a Canadian journalist working for the Global Television Network, Jackson Bond, a child actor who played Nicole Kidman's son in The Invasion, and Jackson Kabiga, a Kenyan long-distance runner.

Namesakes for Jackson abound geographically. Twenty-nine American states have a city, town or village with the name Jackson in it. There is a Jackson, China, and Jackson, Queensland. On TV, there are Jackson Stewart (Hannah Montana's brother), Jackson Vahue of Oz, and Ally McBeal's Jackson Duper. The Jackson Twins was a comic strip about two teenage girls. There are Jackson guitars, manufacturers of figure skates Jackson Ultima, and Jackson-Hewitt, a tax preparation service.

Some fascinating facts: Jackson Whites was the name given to isolated, racially diverse mountain people living in the Ramapo Mountains of northern New Jersey and southern New York.

Jax mice, mice from the Jackson Laboratories used for biomedical research, come in inbred, hybrid, genetically engineered, and mutant varieties.

Curtis Jackson, better known as the rapper Fifty Cent, attended Andrew Jackson High School.

Names similar to Jackson are Jack, Jackie, Jacksen, Jacky, Jacson, Jakson, Jaks, Jaksen, Jaxon, Jakson.

Learn more about this author, Andrea Kreidler.
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