Meaning and origin
The last name Stanton is of English origin and is classified as a locational surname.
The longer story
The last name Stanton is of English origin and is classified as a locational surname. Locational surnames are derived from the name of a place, typically the place where the original bearer of the name hailed from or where they owned land. In the case of Stanton, the name is derived from multiple places in England that bear the same name.
One possible origin of the name Stanton is from the Old English words "stan," meaning "stone," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." Combined, these words refer to a settlement near or by stones. This suggests that the original bearers of the surname may have lived near or in proximity to stone structures or landmarks such as standing stones or stone houses.
Another possible origin of the surname Stanton is from the combination of the Old English words "stan," meaning "stone," and "ham," meaning "homestead" or "village." This interpretation implies that the name could have initially referred to a village or homestead located near stones.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#968
Stanton was the 968th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 35,997 people, about 12 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Stanton
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Stanton is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.