Kilton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Skelton
Historical Forms
- Chiltun, Chilton 1086 DB
- Chiltona a.1157 Percy
- Kilton, Kylton 1219 Ass 1292 et passim
Etymology
It is very difficult to come to any conclusion with regard to this name and Kildale 166infra . For Kilton Professor Ekwall suggests a Scand form of OE cilda-tun (cf. Chilton) v. cild , tun , whilst the first element of Kildale he suggests is possibly ON kíll 'a narrow bay,' well-evidenced in Norw p.ns. In the latter case it is not quite certain what the semantic development of kíll must have been that it could be applied to a place inland.In Norw dialects it has the meaning 'narrow triangular piece' and in Dan kil the meaning 'a narrow strip of land.'