Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Keltona c.1150,c.1200,c.1210,c.1280 StB 1201 HolmC

• (ad) Keltonam c.1205 StB

• Keltone c.1250 ib

• Kelton c.1270 ib

• in Coupland 1397 FF

• Kelton' 1279 Ass

• Keltun 1292 ib

• Chelton 1174–5 HolmC

• Kelton or Ketelton 1610 Denton

• Keteltwone al. Kelton 1665 CWxxxviii

Etymology

It was said by Denton (28) that this name took its origin from the Cumbrian thegn Ketel , son of Eldred, but the early forms do not support this view. It is unusual for the name Ketel to be reduced to Kel as early as the 12th century. Certainty is impossible, but ON  kelda, 'spring,' is the most probable origin of the name. The form Keteltwone comes from a badly written note appended to a pedigree, and has no authority. v. tūn .