Surname Laughton - Meaning and Origin
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Laughton: What does the surname Laughton mean?
Laughton is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from Old English pre 7th century locational terms like "hlaw-ton" or "leac-tun", which translate respectively as "hill-village" or "leek-enclosure"; these typically refer to a settlement located on a hill or a place where leeks were grown. Families adopted such surnames based on the geographical location of their dwellings. Over time, variations in the spelling of these names arose due to changes in dialect and linguistic drift. Some common versions of this name include Lawton, Laughton, and Loughton. Therefore, the Laughton surname, like other surnames from Old England, is steeped in history, signifying the geographic roots and perhaps occupations of the ancestors who originally bore this name.
Order DNA origin analysisLaughton: Where does the name Laughton come from?
The surname Laughton is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words 'hlaw tun', which means 'hill settlement'. It commonly refers to people who hailed from areas named Laughton in counties such as Sussex, Leicestershire, and Yorkshire. The surname emerged as a means to identify people by their association with a specific geographical location.
Today, Laughton is more commonly found in English-speaking countries like the United States, Australia, England, and Canada. Ancestry records suggest more concentrated existence in regions such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire within England. Over time, the name has evolved and varied slightly with alternate spellings like Laughten, Loughton, and Lawton, depending on the local pronunciation and dialect. Given its Anglo-Saxon roots, use of the Laughton surname remains predominantly in countries that have a significant history of migration from the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname Laughton
The surname Laughton has a few variants in spelling and pronunciation. Originating from England, it is based on the geographical location such as Laughton-in-the-Marsh (country of Lincolnshire) or Laughton-en-le-Morthen (South Yorkshire). The name signifies "town or settlement (tun) that was either taught, trained, reared or brought up (leac)". It can also imply a "farmstead where leeks are grown".
The variants for Laughton include Lawton, Lorton, Leighton, Layton, and Loughton. The surname might also be spelled as Laffton, Lofton, Lorton, Laxton, Loughan, or Lauton in different contexts. It also includes patronymics like Laughtonson, Laughtons, and Laughton's. The surname can also appear differently based on geographical location like de Laughton, of Laughton, or von Laughton.
The relative rarity of the surname Laughton means it is less subject to vast spelling variation. However, phonetically similar names that may not share the same origin include Lawton, Loughton, or Layton. It's important to note that many of these variants result from individual family migration and anglicization or geographic spelling customs. Variations in names often occurred when families moved to different regions and the name was written down by clerks or other officials as it sounded, leading to multiple possible spellings of the same original surname.
Famous people with the name Laughton
- Charles Laughton: a British stage and film actor, director, and producer best known for his roles in classic films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mutiny on the Bounty, and Witness for the Prosecution.
- Dave Laughton: a Canadian professional hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1973-77 and is currently a scout for the Carolina Hurricanes.
- Laura Laughton: an American actress and singer who starred in the films The Amityville Horror, Scary Movie 3, and A Walk With Love and Death.
- John D. Laughton: an English author and naval historian who wrote The Admiralty Regrets and was a contributing author to The English Heritage Volume of Naval History.
- Bob Laughton: an English actor and director known for his roles in Doctor Who and Casualty.
- Harry Laughton: an English actor and writer known for his roles in the films Transformers: The Last Knight and Upstairs, Downstairs.
- Peter Laughton: an English author and journalist who is best known for writing the novel Sunday Best and contributing to publications such as The Guardian, The Daily Mail, and The Observer.
- Rosie Laughton: an English actress who is best known for her roles in the television series Desmond's and Nowhere Man.
- Stephen Laughton: an English scriptwriter and playwright who wrote the screenplay for the film The Fall and the television series Munro.
- Joey Laughton: an English film editor who is known for his work on films such as Stardust, The Theory of Everything, and Maleficent.