Surname Weaton - Meaning and Origin
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Weaton: What does the surname Weaton mean?
The last name Weaton is of English origin, and is believed to have derived from either one of two sources. The first being a topographic name, deriving from the Olde English pre 7th Century “weahtun”, meaning the settlement at the ‘enclosure’, ‘walled-in area’, or 'Waehtun'. The second potential source being a locational name from any of the various places named with this Olde English element, being 'Weeton' in Durham, Lancashire, North Riding of Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, and West Riding of Yorkshire, all of which are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Wihetun'.
The surname Weaton is recorded in the late 16th Century in Wiltshire as Watone, and two centuries later as Weatone and Wearon in Yorkshire. The modern spelling of the surname may also be spelt Weeton, Wheton, Weiten and Whetten. Early recordings of the name include; John Wynatton, from Claydon, Oxfordshire, England, in 1596, William Weaton in the Parish Registers of Leicester in 1593 and Amy Waten from South Carolina, America, recorded in 1679.
The origin of the Weaton surname offers an intriguing insight into the history of the English language, where one can trace the roots of a name linguistically through centuries. It also provides evidence of the migration across continents and nations, where the use of the name has been fully adopted well outside of its country of origin.
Order DNA origin analysisWeaton: Where does the name Weaton come from?
The surname Weaton is of British origin and is most commonly found in England today. It is particularly concentrated in the North-West where around 15% of all Weaton's currently reside. There are also pockets of populations in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and some areas of the USA.
The name is derived from various personal and place names believed to stem from the Olde English pre 7th century words 'wæthm', meaning 'willow', and 'tun', meaning an enclosure or settlement, and as such may have been an occupational name for a grower or supplier of willows or a topographical name for someone living by a willow plantation or meadow.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Adelwold Watton, which was dated 1112, in the "Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire", during the reign of King Henry I, known as "The Lion of Justice", 1100 - 1135.
The modern spelling of the name is Weaton. Over the centuries, some spelling variations have included Wyton, Winton, Wyan and Wayen. The popular variations Wyton and Winton have played a large part in keeping the surname alive in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland over many centuries.
Weatons can be found living all around the world today, although the greatest concentration of families remains in England.
Variations of the surname Weaton
The surname Weaton can be written and spelled in various ways, though all of the variants are likely derived from the same origin. Some of the common variants of this surname include Weeton, Wheaton, Wheaten, Weton, Whyteon and Whiton.
Common spellings of the surname include Wheeten, Weeten, Wheaten, Weten, Whiton, Whyten and Wyeton, while common misspellings include Wheeeton, Weaton, Wethean, Whayteon and Wheiton.
Though the spelling of the surname may vary, the root word of Weaton is often of Germanic origin and derived from a personal name made of two elements related to water: 'wet' and 'tun.' Wet is a Germanic element meaning “wet, moist, fluid” while 'tun' means “enclosure, settlement, estate," thus suggesting an origin of a settlement near a body of water.
The surname is also believed to be affixed from place-names, such as the numerous recorded locations in England named Weeton. In addition, the surname can also be derived from Weeton-with-Preese in Lancashire, Weeton in East Yorkshire, and Wheaton in Cornwall.
An alternative source of the surname is derived from Wheaton Aston in Staffordshire, where the elements “wheat” and “town” are combined to create the place-name. People who lived close to or are related to this location may also have adopted the Wheaton surname.
Overall, the variants, spellings and surnames of Weaton are likely derived from either Germanic personal names or place-names related to bodies of water or wheat-producing areas across England.
Famous people with the name Weaton
- Steven Weber: American actor and director best known for his role in the television series Wings and the 1997 drama The Shining.
- Bob Weaton: American Jazz trumpeter, who was a mainstay of the great Harlem stride pianist, Willie "The Lion" Smith's bands.
- Wil Wheaton: American actor, writer, and voice actor, best known for his portrayal of Wesley Crusher on the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation.
- Kenny Weaton: American professional basketball player who was a member of the 1990 USA World Championship Team.
- Holly Weaton: American former actress who is best known for her roles in “Motive for Revenge” and “Through the Looking Glass House”.
- Jana Marie Weaton: American actress who had small roles in multiple television shows and is best known for her role in the 2010 movie, Hit List.
- William Weaton: English author and artist known for his book on the English landscape, Shorter Walks in the Lake Country.
- Barry Weaton: American musician most widely known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band The Supersuckers.
- Anne Weaton: American former actress best known for her roles in the films “The Illegitimate Daughter” and “The Toymaker”.
- Dan Weaton: American comedian and actor, best known for his role in the television series Party Down.