Watton Family History

English:: variant of Watten from the Middle English personal name Wat, a pet form of Walter (see Watt) with the characteristically West Midland genitival suffix -en. It is a habitational name from Watton (East Yorkshire), or perhaps in some cases from Watton (Norfolk), Watton at Stone (Hertfordshire), or Wattons in Bere Ferrers (Devon).

The Yorkshire placename derives from Old English wēt ‘wet’, later replaced by Old Norse vátr ‘wet’ + Old English dūn ‘hill’. The Norfolk and Devon placenames probably derive from the Old English personal name Wada + Old English tūn.

The Hertfordshire placename probably derives from Old English wād ‘woad’ + tūn.