COLTON
The Colton surname is of English origin and has a long history within the British Isles, particularly in England. It is a locational name that has been connected with specific places and settlement names since at least the 11th century.
The earliest linguistic elements of the name can be recognised in the Old English personal name Cola or Col, meaning “charcoal” or “coal,” joined with the suffix tun, which denotes a settlement or enclosure. Consequently, the name can be interpreted as “the settlement of Cola” or “the place where charcoal is produced.” It is plausible that the original bearer of the name lived near a charcoal-burning site or in a settlement associated with coal production.
In ecclesiastical and legal records, the name is recorded predominantly in the area of Devon. The village of Colaton Raleigh, originally spelled Coletune in the Domesday Book of 1086, is identified as the source of the surname. By about 1242 the name had evolved to Colaton Raleigh, when the manor was held by Wimundus de Ralegh. The name translates as “the tun of Koli,” with Koli being a personal name of probably pre‑8th-century Viking origin.
Historical documents show a remarkable variety of spellings, even in an era when literacy and spelling were highly variable. These include Colleton, Collaton, Colaton, Collelton, Culleton, Colten, Coltan, Colton, and Coulton. It has been argued that the latter four forms may derive from the neighbouring Somerset village of Colton, originally Coultone.
Evidence for the surname in church registers appears in several Devon entries. For example, Johan Coltynge married John Soverayne at Colyton on 12 September 1583; Hugh Colleton was a witness at Dittisham church on 20 April 1614; and Richard Collaton was christened at Little Hempston church on 25 June 1695. The earliest known spelling is that of Johan Collton, who married Chrystover Mathew at Totnes, Devon, on 13 June 1569, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The Colton family was granted a coat of arms in Devon in 1660, the year of the restoration of King Charles XI. The blazon is: a gold field charged with three stags heads couped, all proper, with a crest of a stags head, all proper. The stag is traditionally regarded as a fleet‑footed messenger, symbolising swift communication and movement.
Typical given names associated with the Colton surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Anthony
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Jean
- Joanne
- Julie
- Kay
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Pamela
- Rebecca
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Calton
- Coalton
- Cholton
- Coleton
- Cholten
- Cailton
- Caladine
- Caldana
- Calden
- Caldin
- Caldine
- Caldon
- Caledon
- Calidine
- Calladene
- Calladin
- Calladine
- Calldine
- Callidine
- Callton
- Calodine
- Caltin
- Calyton
- Caulton
- Choleton
- Claden
- Cladon
- Claiden
- Claidon
- Claton
- Clatton
- Claudin
- Claudine
- Claudino
- Claudon
- Clayden
- Claydon
- Clayten
- Clayton
- Cleaton
- Cleden
- Cledwyn
- Cleeton
- Cleton
- Cleuton
- Clewton
- Cleydon
- Cleyton
- Clouden
- Clouton
- Clowton
- Cluton
- Clutten
- Clutton
- Clyden
- Clyton
- Colden
- Coldon
- Colladin
- Colladine
- Collatin
- Colleton
- Colliton
- Colloton
- Collton
- Colon
- Colston
- Colt
- Coltan
- Colten
- Coltington
- Coltro
- Coltson
- Colyton
- Coulden
- Couldon
- Coultan
- Coulten
- Coulton
- Coultons
- Culleton
- Culliton
- Culloden
- Culloton
- Culten
- Culton
- Galatin
- Galdeano
- Galden
- Galdon
- Galetin
- Galton
- Gaulden
- Gauldin
- Gaulton
- Gladan
- Gladden
- Gladdin
- Gladdon
- Gladen
- Gladin
- Gladion
- Gladun
- Gladwyn
- Glayden
- Glayton
- Gleaden
- Gleadon
- Gleaton
- Gledden
- Gleddon
- Gledon
- Glidden
- Gliddin
- Gliddon
- Gliden
- Glidon
- Glidoon
- Glodean
- Gloudon
- Glydon
- Goldan
- Golden
- Goldin
- Goldine
- Goldon
- Goldoni
- Goldwyn
- Goldyn
- Golten
- Golton
- Goolden
- Gooldin
- Goulden
- Gouldin
- Gouldon
- Goulton
- Gualdoni
- Guelton
- Guilden
- Guillotin
- Guilloton
- Gulden
- Gulton
- Kaladeen
- Kaldani
- Kaldun
- Kalton
- Keldon
- Kelton
- Kilden
- Kildin
- Kildon
- Kildun
- Kildunne
- Kilowden
- Kilton
- Klaton
- Kleidon
- Kloeden
- Kolton
- Koltun
- Kullatein
- Quilton
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Colton in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 2,266 people named Colton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,794th most common surname in Britain. Around 35 in a million people in Britain are named Colton.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Colton
- Dean Colton - Scottish rugby league player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.