Stanton

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. It is a surname of English origin borne by many families ; it also names several villages and towns in England and the United States
2. This is a family name of English origin ; it also designates several small settlements in England and the United States
3. This name is carried as a surname by many people ; it is also used for several villages and towns in England and the United States

Etymology: Before it meant a settlement, the second half of this name meant simply a fenced enclosure. Old English "tūn" referred to a hedged or fenced piece of land, usually with a farmhouse, and only gradually broadened to the modern "town." So "Stanton" originally described a farmstead built of or set among stone, from "stān" ("stone") and "tūn." The name is English in origin and spread across the country as a place name, with many villages called Stanton in different counties. Because so many were named this way, the name was later taken up as a surname by people who lived at or came from one of these places, which is how it is most commonly used today.