CAULTON
Caulton is a surname of English origin that can be recognised as a locational name. It is traditionally thought to be a variant spelling of Colton, a name that derives from the Old English elements col meaning “charcoal” and tun meaning “enclosure” or “settlement”. Consequently the surname originally described an individual who lived near or worked in a settlement where charcoal was produced in medieval England.
Other references identify the name as originating from places called Calton or possibly Cauldon, using the original Old English spelling calu‑tun. In that context the name is understood to mean “a calf farm”, a location where calves were reared. Villages and hamlets bearing this name have been recorded in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Warwickshire, and it is probable that other sites now lost to history also contributed to the spread of the surname.
The earliest known form of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire, where a record dated 1273 lists John de Caltun. This document was produced during the reign of King Edward I, who reigned from 1272 to 1307. The development of variant spellings such as Calton, Caltun, Caulton, Calltone and Calyton can be attributed to the limited literacy and inconsistent registration practices of the period.
During the 16th century several individuals bearing the name were recorded in London. For instance, Ales Calton married John James at St Mary Aldermary on 3 December 1582, and Arthur Caulton was christened at St Andrew Undershaft on 27 May 1593. Such entries illustrate the mobility of the family, who were originally associated with their place of origin and later adopted as inhabitants of other areas.
In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the Caulton family were granted a coat of arms in Derbyshire during the reign of King Henry V, who ruled from 1422 to 1461. The blazon of the arms is a black field, with a saltire engrailed between four gold cross crosslets. The heraldic achievement is a historic record of the family’s status and civic identity.
Overall, the surname Caulton reflects a strong locational heritage rooted in both charcoal production and calf rearing, with a documented presence in noble records and parish registers across England from the twelfth century onwards. Its continuity and variation demonstrate the enduring link between personal identity and the places from which families originated.
Typical given names associated with the Caulton surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Martin
- Michael
- Pete
- Peter
- Philip
- Richard
- Simon
- Tim
Female
- Claire
- Emma
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Julie
- Laura
- Linda
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Caulton in...
Braille
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Morse
-.-..-..-.-..-----.
Semaphore
There are approximately 705 people named Caulton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,655th most common surname in Britain. Around 11 in a million people in Britain are named Caulton.
