Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Marcheton(e) 1086 DB 1226 FF 1226 BurtCh 1229 Ch c.1290 Bemrose

• Merchetune 1086 DB

• Marketon(e) 1138–48,1154–9,1157,p.1210,c.1220 Darley 1236,1243 Fees 1252 FF 1645 StJ

• Marketon(e) Harneys, Marketon(e) Harneis 1343 IpmR 1348 Ch

• Markenton 1251 Ch

• Markton' 1337 Darley

• Merkton 1346 Cor

• Maketon 1346 FA

• Marton 1306 Ass 1399 Hallvi 1408 DbCh 1428 FA 1767 Burdett

Etymology

'Mearca's farm', v. tūn , an etymology clearly to be preferred to Ekwall's suggestion (DEPN) 'farm on the boundary river'. Attention should be drawn to the fact that the close connections between Markeaton and nearby Mackworth evident throughout the Middle Ages in all probability date from the original Anglian settlements of the two places. The first element of Mackworth, OE  pers.n. *Mac (c )a is an assimilated form of the OE  pers.n. Mearca found in the present name. For a similar pair of names, one with assimilation, cf. Mursley and Missenden (PN Bk 70, 152–4), and IPN 172–3. Harneys is from OE  (ge)hērness 'a district, a jurisdiction'. The spelling Marton indicates a pronunciation still sometimes heard today though the more usual one now is a spelling pronunciation.