Surname Houghton - Meaning and Origin

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R. Houghton

Houghton: What does the surname Houghton mean?

The surname Houghton is of English origin and is derived from two parts; hoh, an old English word meaning 'hill' or 'mound', and tun, meaning 'enclosure' or 'settlement'. Initially recorded as a habitation name, meaning “of the hilly estate”, the original name holders were likely landholders and dwelling on a hill made them easily identifiable.

During the Middle Ages, due to a variety of reasons, people began to assume hereditary surnames, as this was a much easier way to identify individuals. These surnames, including Houghton, contained useful information about an individual and could arise from a variety of sources. Locational surnames derived from either where the person lived or where their family originated, or was derived from the name of a place or a physical feature.

Houghton is a common name in England. Owing to the numerous places called Houghton that assign distinctive surnames to those who originally held a family seat there. During the Middle Ages, when the manorial system was in full effect in England, holders of the manor and their tenants, adopted surnames based on the estate and location they inherited or worked.

Today, Houghton is widely used as a surname, even in the United States, as many British families migrated to new colonies in search of a better life. Those who bear this surname today can take pride in knowing that their roots stem from England hundreds of years ago.

Houghton: Where does the name Houghton come from?

The last name Houghton is a relatively uncommon name. However, it is historically associated with several geographic locations, all of which still have a presence today.

The surname originates from an English locality that was known as Houghton, Lincolnshire. This area is now part of the capital city of Lincoln. The name can also be found in Houghton, Cambridgeshire and Houghton, Norfolk. In addition to these locations the name is associated with Houghton Country Park in Northamptonshire.

The surname is also found in towns and cities across the United States and Canada. Houghton, Michigan may be the best known of these locales. This small community in the Upper Peninsula is home to Michigan Technological University and the nearby Houghton County Educational Center.

Other locations linked to the last name include Houghton Lake, Michigan; Houghton, New York; and Houghton Lake, Ontario. Additionally, the name is found in many larger cities, such as Toronto, Toronto, and Vancouver.

In more recent times, the surname may have been confused with the similar sounding places mentioned above. As such, the Houghton surname may be more common than it appears due to an overlap with the historically familiar place names.

Variations of the surname Houghton

The surname Houghton can trace its origins back to many thousands of years and appears in several distinct spellings and variants, including Houghton, Houghtonne, Houghten, Houton, Hoton, and Hocton. Each of these spellings was used amongst various medieval families in England and Europe.

Houghton is a typically English patronymic surname originating from the Old English given name "Hoc", meaning "hood" or "cap". This was later changed to "Houghton", with the Anglicized "ton" being added to indicate a geographical location. Patronyms began to spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages as a way for family members to distinguish themselves from one another.

Variants include Highten, which is derived from the Germanic name Hight, and Hutton, which originated in Lancashire, England. Hooten, again from the Old English name "Hoc", can also be found in Belgium as Houton and in Germany as Hochton.

The early surnames Hawton, Halton and Haltoner are another form of the surname and can be found in areas of Scotland. Hawing, which was derived from a medieval place name, is also thought to be another variant of the surname.

In Northern Ireland, variants of the name include Hoggan, Hagan, O'Houghton and O'Haughton, which were adapted from the Gaelic name Og Mak Kathan, meaning "son of Cathan". Other Irish spellings, such as Houghan, have also been recorded.

Overall, the surname Houghton can be found in various regions across the world with a variety of spellings.

Famous people with the name Houghton

• Bonnie Houghton: Actress and film director who is best known for her work in the 1939 film Border Wolves and the 1942 film New Horizons.
• Colin Houghton: British poet, novelist, and short story writer.
• Gene Houghton: Professional ice hockey player who played for 10 years with the Detroit Red Wings.
• Jackie Houghton: British singer and television presenter who rose to fame on the program London Weekend Television.
• Jonathan Houghton: Actor who won a BAFTA for his performance in the series A Touch of Frost.
• Letitia Houghton: British actress who has appeared in films such as Cinderella and Hercules.
• Michael Houghton: British environmentalist and conservationist.
• Rick Houghton: American actor who has appeared in films such as Aladdin and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
• Robert Houghton: English actor and screenwriter who wrote the screenplay for The Fast and the Furious.
• Toby Houghton: British actor and film producer who is most notable for his work in the 2014 film Sunshine on Leith.

Other surnames

Houghtaling