Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Alconesheved (sic) 1285 Misc

• Altonishevyd 1321 Ipm

• Overaltoun, Netheraltoun 1381 Cl

• Altonfelde 1556 AOMB

• Oughton head 1596 N

• Oughton Myll 1608 Ipm

• Altonheade 1650 ParlSurv

• Orton Head c.1840 TA

Etymology

Oughton [ɔˑtən] Head is Alconesheved (sic)1285 Misc, Altonishevyd 1321 Ipm, Overaltoun , Netheraltoun 1381 Cl, Altonfelde 1556AOMB , Oughton head 1596 N, Oughton Myll 1608 Ipm, Altonheade 1650ParlSurv , Orton Head c. 1840TA .The forms are too late for any certainty. It may be noted, however, that the place is at the source of a small stream, the Oughton (a back-formation, v. supra 4), so that it is possible that the name goes back to OE  ǣwiell -tūn , 'farm at the spring or source.' Cf. Carshalton (PN Sr 41) and Alton (Ha, W) which have the same history. All these places were already Alton by the 14th century. Alton 's head is difficult of explanation unless it was another name for 'over' or 'upper' Alton.