English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Dalton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Kirby Ravensworth

Historical Forms

  • Daltun, altera Daltun
  • Daltona et alia Daltona 1184 RichReg
  • Dalton Trauers 1258 Easby
  • Dalton Michel(l) 1259 Ass
  • Dalton Norreys, Dalton Norreis 1285 KI
  • Dalton le norys 1572 FF
  • Dalton in le Dale 1420 NCyWills
  • Dalton in le Gayles 1559 FF
  • Dawtons 1577 Saxton

Etymology

'Valley farm' v. dæl , tun . The affixes arise from the names of tenants of land in the locality: John Norris was a tenant in 1285 (KI 167); Dalton Michel (also called Dalton Ryel in the 14th cent. VCH i. 90) was called Ryel from the tenants of the lords of Ryle (Nb) who possessed land here in 1231; the first of these tenants was called Michel (ib.); the Travers family held land here as early as 1186 (ib.).

Dalton is called in le Gayles from its position in a narrow glen (v. Gayles infra ).