Relton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Relton

What does the name Relton mean?

The ancestors of the name Relton date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the ancient market town of Fakenham which was located beside the river of Wensum. Before 1086 the lands of Fakenham were controlled by Pacham which included three mills, a salt house and lush green pasture for two hundred sheep. Relton is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Relton family

The surname Relton was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Conjecturally they are descended from the Lords of the manor of Fakenham. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, Fakenham was held by Pacham who held the King's land which consisted of three mills, half a salt house, a flour mill, and two hundred sheep. This pretty little market town is on the River Wensum.

Further to the north in Scotland, there were listings of the family in the 16th century. By example, John Railtoun, was Burgess of Edinburgh in 1544 and Allan Raltoune was Burgess Freeman of Glasgow, 1607. 1

Early History of the Relton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Relton research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1684 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Relton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Relton Spelling Variations

Relton has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Relton have been found, including Railtone, Railton, Reltone, Relton, Rayltone and many more.

Early Notables of the Relton family

More information is included under the topic Early Relton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Relton migration to Australia +

Relton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Relton, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Orleana" in 1839 2

Sources +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ORLEANA 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Orleana.htm