Middleton Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Middleton last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Middleton coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Middleton last name
Meaning of the Middleton last name: middle settlement. Middleton is a surname from the many places called Middleton, "middle settlement". There are Middletons in nearly every English county and in Scotland, so the last name arose independently many times. A curious detail: Arthur Middleton of South Carolina signed the Declaration of Independence. The surname is common in the north of England and in Kincardineshire.
Arms associated with the Middleton name
In England younger sons added small heraldic marks to their father's coat of arms, so relatives named Middleton could each carry a slightly different shield.
Get your full Middleton family history
This is only a glimpse of the Middleton story. The full Middleton history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Middleton coat of arms. Get the full Middleton report.
Middleton name FAQ
What does the Middleton name mean?
Middle settlement. Common variants include Midleton, Myddleton.
Where does the Middleton surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Scotland and Australia.
Is there a Middleton coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Middleton coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).