Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Moretone 1086 DB 1209×19 RHug

• Moreton 1173 ChancR 1243 Fees 1373,1379 LCDeeds

• Mortona c.1130 LeicSurv 1209×19 RHug c.1225 GildR c.1230 RTemple

• Mortun 1166 P

• Morton 1170 1352 LCDeeds 1357 Pat 1428 FA 1510 Visit 1576 Saxton

• Aurea Morton 1248 RGros

• Gildenemorton 1303 IpmR 1328 Banco 1341 Pat

• Guldenemorton 1293 Ipm

• Gyldenemorton 1322 Cl 1328 Banco

• Gildenmorton 1327 SR 1344 Deed 1438 Banco

• Gyldenmorton 1406 LCh 1420 Cl 1509 Fine

• Gildynmorton 1343 MiD 1389 Deed

• Gyldynmorton 1397 Cl

• Gildenmoreton 1402 Hazlerigg

• Gyldenmoreton 1417 1424 ib

• Gyldon Moreton 1471 1547 Pat

• Gildemorton 1540 Hazlerigg

• Gyldemorton 1561,1564 LeicW

• Gyldmorton 1551 Fine 1556 ECP

• Gylemorton 1515 ECP

• Gilmoreton 1535 VE

• Gilmorton 1573 LEpis 1576 LibCl 1610 Speed

Etymology

'The farmstead or village at the wet moorland', v. mōr 1 , tūn . The later affixes MLat  aurea and ME  gilden 'golden' could simply indicate a prosperous settlement. It is noteworthy, however, that nearby Moreton Pinkney, which was Geldenemoretone in 1221, Guldenemorton in 1226 (Nth 41) and Guilden Morden (Ca 61) also combine 'wetland, marsh' with 'golden', so that the reference in each case could be rather to the striking presence of gold-coloured wetland flowers such as the marsh- marigold.