Hutton
Usually a place-name surname meaning “from Hutton,” a high or hilltop settlement.
The #1,955 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,708 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hutton is a habitational surname taken from places called Hutton in England. The name is generally understood from Old English elements meaning “high” or “hill” plus “town” or “settlement,” so the literal sense is “high town” or “hill settlement.” Some older writers also connected it with a different interpretation, but the place-name origin is the standard explanation.
History
English records show the surname early and in several counties, especially Yorkshire and Lancashire, where many Hutton place-names occur. As people moved away from those towns and villages, the surname spread widely and became established as a family name rather than just a location tag. It also appears in Ireland, where some bearers may reflect later English settlement or adoption of the name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century sources noted that England had a striking number of places called Hutton, which helped the surname develop independently in more than one district.
From the historical record
“HUTCHINS. The child of Hugh. (See Hitchins.) HUTCHINSON. The son of Hitchins or Hutchins. HUTTON. Local. A town in England'; the high town. Camden defines the name to signify a mutineer. Hutain, in French, is haughty, proud. HYDE. Local A farm ; as much land as can be cultivated with one plow; a town of Cheshire…”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names