Lanton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Lanton was first found in Linton, now West Linton, a village in the Scottish Borders, (formerly in Peeblesshire) not far from East Linton; Linton, a parish of Roxburghshire; or at East Linton, a small burgh in the parish of Prestonkirk, East Lothian. 1

One of the first records of the name was Gamel de Lintun who witnessed a charter by Ernaldus, bishop pf St. Andrews (c. 1160-62.) Magister Roberts de Linton was vicar of Kylelan (c. 1214.) 1

We would be remiss if we didn't take a moment to discuss the "Worm of Linton" or the "Linton Worm." Linton Hill at Linton in Roxburghshire on the Scottish borders was the home of this legendary beast which emerged from its lair at dusk and dawn to eats crops, livestock and people. "Wyrm" is an Old English/Scottish word for serpent which evolved to the more modern term "worm." After many fearful nights, a man of incredible courage, William or John de Somerville, the Laird of Laristin, attacked the worm in its hideout killing it. A stone carving above the door of Linton Church shows this heroic deed.

Further south in England, the earliest records were: Richard de Linton, London who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273; Hugh de Linton, Yorkshire, 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of King Edward I's reign) and Laurencie de Lynton (of Linton) who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

In England, Linton is a market-town and parish in Cambridgeshire, a township in Derbyshire, a parish in Devon, a hamlet in Gloucestershire, a township in Herefordshire, a parish in Kent and there are two parish so named in Yorkshire. 3