FULTON
The surname Fulton is derived from the British Isles, with documented roots in both England and Scotland. Its earliest appearances are tied to specific localities within the Scottish kingdom, indicating a locational origin rather than a patronymic or occupational one.
In Scotland the name is associated principally with the place names Foulton and Fowlis in the county of Angus, as well as an ancient village known as Fulton in the parish of Bedrule, Roxburghshire. The toponymic element is believed to come from the Old English words fugol, meaning “bird,” and tun, meaning “enclosure” or “settlement.” Consequently, a literal interpretation of the surname is “bird settlement” or “enclosure for birds.” The use of Old English roots in a Scottish context reflects the linguistic contact between Anglo‑Saxon settlers and the indigenous Celtic populations of the Lowlands.
The first recorded attestations of the surname appear in the mid‑13th century. A 1272 quit‑claim concerning the land of Fulton lists Thomas de Fulton as a witness, while a 1273 grant by Malcolm, Earl of Levenax, to Paisley references Alan de Foulton. In 1296, during the reign of King Edward I of England, Henry de Foultone of Lanarkshire and Thomas de Fougheltone of the same shire rendered homage, thereby providing further documentary evidence of the name in that period. The original spelling variants—de Fulton, de Foulton, de Foultone, and de Fougheltone—illustrate the fluid orthography of medieval Scottish records.
By the early 16th century the surname had spread to urban areas such as Glasgow. Records from 1506 and 1554 mention a Robert Foultoun in Irvine and a John Fultoune in Glasgow, respectively, confirming the name’s continued presence in Scotland’s northern counties. The 18th‑century emigrant Robert Fulton (1765‑1815), of Ulster Scottish descent, is well remembered for his pioneering application of steam power to navigation in the United States; his prominence brought the surname international recognition.
The earliest preserved spelling bears the form Thomas de Fulton, as noted in a donation dated circa 1260 in the Register of the Monastery of Paisley during the reign of King Alexander █111 (1249‑1286). This early documentary evidence provides a firm baseline for the surname’s antiquity and geographic roots within the Scottish Lowlands.
Typical given names associated with the Fulton surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Paul
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Ann
- Anne
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Jennifer
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
Similar and related surnames
- Fullerton
- Felton
- Flitton
- Foulton
- Filton
- Fluton
- Fulto
- Falden
- Faldon
- Fallodown
- Falodun
- Faltin
- Falton
- Faltyn
- Faulton
- Feilden
- Felden
- Feldon
- Felten
- Feltin
- Fielden
- Fieldian
- Fieldin
- Fieldon
- Filden
- Filldion
- Filten
- Fladden
- Flatan
- Flaten
- Flaton
- Flatten
- Fleeton
- Fletton
- Flitten
- Flodden
- Floden
- Flodin
- Flowden
- Fluden
- Folden
- Foltan
- Foltin
- Folton
- Foltyn
- Foltynie
- Foulden
- Fulden
- Fuldon
- Fuliton
- Fullaton
- Fulleton
- Fulliton
- Fullston
- Fullton
- Fulston
- Fultan
- Phelton
- Philton
- Valaitiene
- Valatin
- Valayden
- Valden
- Valdini
- Valdonio
- Valetine
- Vallotton
- Valton
- Velden
- Veldon
- Velten
- Velton
- Vilton
- Volodin
- Volodina
- Voulden
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Fulton in...
Braille
⠋⠥⠇⠞⠕⠝
Morse
..-...-.-..-----.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Fulton are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Peanut cookie.
There are approximately 6,972 people named Fulton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,351st most common surname in Britain. Around 107 in a million people in Britain are named Fulton.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Fulton
- Rikki Fulton - Scottish actor (1924 to 2004)
- Jay Fulton - Football player
- Steve Fulton - Scottish football player
- Hamish Fulton - Photographer
- Ryan Fulton - Scottish football player
- Robert Fulton - Governor of Gibraltar
- Bob Fulton - Australian rugby league football player and coach
- John Fulton, Baron Fulton - University administrator, public servant (1902 to 1986)
- Dale Fulton - Scottish football player
- David Fulton - Cricketer
- Margaret Fulton - Australian food writer (1924 to 2019)
- Andrew Fulton - Politician
- William James Fulton - Ulster loyalist
- Roy Fulton -
- Angus Fulton - Civil engineer (1900 to 1983)
- Ray Fulton - Professional football player
- Bryce Fulton - Scottish football player (1935 to 1976)
- Arthur Fulton - Sport shooter (1887 to 1972)
- Bertie Fulton - Irish football player (1906 to 1979)
- Thomas Fulton - Australian ironmaster (1813 to 1859)
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.