Surname Warton - Meaning and Origin
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Warton: What does the surname Warton mean?
The last name Warton is an English surname derived from a small village or hamlet in the county of Lancashire. The earliest record of the place of Warton dates back to 1177 when it was listed in the Doomsday Book as Weltone, or Weltun. It is believed that the name means ‘enclosure in the woodland’, and was likely originally a clearing or open land surrounded by woodland.
The surname likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near the village or hamlet of Warton. It was a popular name among the English nobility and eventually spread to other areas of England in the Middle Ages.
The name is still common in the UK and can be found in records as early as 1525. It can also be found in many other countries due to emigration throughout the centuries. Today, Warton is commonly found in North America and Australia.
People with the surname Warton are a part of a long and proud English heritage, and the name itself is evidence of the deep roots of their ancestry. It is a reminder of the strength of family ties and the importance of sharing a common history.
Order DNA origin analysisWarton: Where does the name Warton come from?
The last name Warton is most common in England today. Warton is a small village near Carnforth in Lancashire, and in data from Great Britain’s telephone directory, the most common area code for Warton is Lancashire. The last name Warton is also common in other areas of England such as in Warrington, Cheshire, as well as in Staffordshire and Worcestershire.
The last name Warton is a locational name, ‘one that was originally derived from the name of the place where the original bearer once lived or held land”. As such, the name would have originated in the Warton area of Lancashire. As the number of people bearing the name Warton increased, they would have moved to different parts of England and consequently, the last name would have spread.
The last name Warton is not commonly found outside of England. The name is particularly rare in other parts of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States of America, only 0.003% of the population possesses the last name, according to US Census Bureau figures.
Within England, the last name Warton is still quite common to this day. It is most frequently found in Lancashire, and there is still a small village named Warton near Carnforth. Other areas of England which continue to foster a high population with the surname Warton include Warrington, Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire.
Variations of the surname Warton
The surname Warton has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants of the name are Wartin, Wartson, Worton, Woerten, Worten, and Wortin. Some of the other spelling variations of Warton include Wertun, Wurtun, Wurten, Wirtan, Wytten, Wytton, Wyartin, Warthon, and Warrten. It is also found with many patronymic surnames derived from the same root, such as Wortonides, Worthington, Wortenberry, Whortenberry, Wharton, and Whorton.
The origin of the surname is from the Old English term 'weard-tun', which means "dwelling-place of the guard". During the Middle Ages, some families bearing this surname adopted other spellings due to frequent misspellings by clerks and scribes as they recorded this family name in official documents and church records.
Given its ancient origin, the surname Warton is found all over Britain and Ireland, but is most commonly found around the northern regions of England. It may also be found among the Irish nation, most likely originating due to the British occupation of Ireland in the 1600s. It is also widely found among the Scottish people, as it likely was brought to Scotland with the British settlers during the Norman Conquest.
Although it is one of the oldest surnames in Anglo-Saxon England, Warton is still a quite common surname today. There is now a village in Cumbria by the name Warton, which provides a significant presence and history of the surname throughout Britain.
Famous people with the name Warton
- Thomas Warton (1728–1790): English literary historian, scholar, critic, and poet.
- Thomas Warton the Younger (1788–1845): English critic, poet, and historian.
- Thomas Pluck Warton (1799–1850): English barrister, theologian, and poet.
- William Warton (1728–1790): English clergyman, miscellaneous writer, and topographer.
- Edward Warton (1797–1844): English journalist, Church of England clergyman, and compiler of books of poetry.
- Joseph Warton (1722–1800): English literary critic and poet.
- Humphrey Warton (1647–1725): English lawyer and antiquarian.
- Francis Warton (1794–1853): English newspaper editor, novelist, and poet.
- John Warton (late 16th century): English lawyer and Member of Parliament.
- Amalie Warton (1876–1932): Austrian American operatic contralto.
- Arthur Warton (1876–1944): English amateur footballer and sports columnist.
- Allen Warton (1915–2015): American professional basketball player.
- Thomas Warton the Elder (1688–1745): English academic, lawyer, and poet.
- Russell T. Warton (1853–1942): American civic leader and philanthropist.