Layton (surname)

Layton is a surname derived from various place names in England. Two known etymologies stem from place names in Lancashire (in Blackpool) and another in North Yorkshire. The former was named in Old English as ‘settlement by the watercourse’, from Old English lād ‘watercourse’ + tūn ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’; the latter as ‘leek enclosure’ or ‘herb garden’, from lēac ‘leek’ + tūn. Also often spelled as Leighton. Notable people with the surname include:

• Bentley Layton (born 1941), American religious scholar
• Bob Layton (born 1953), American comic book artist
• Caleb R. Layton (1851–1930), U.S. Representative from Delaware
• Caleb S. Layton (1798–1882), American politician and judge from Delaware
• Chris Layton (born 1955), American drummer
• Christopher Layton (1821–1898), Mormon church leader
• Daniel J. Layton (1879–1960), Supreme Court Justice of Delaware
• Eddie Layton (1925–2004), American organist
• Edwin T. Layton (1903–1984), American naval intelligence officer
• Geoffrey Layton (1884–1964), British admiral
• George Layton (born 1943), British actor
• Gilbert Layton (1899–1961), Canadian politician
• Irving Layton (1912–2006), Canadian poet
• Jack Layton (1950–2011), Canadian politician
• Joe Layton (1931–1994), American director and choreographer
• Lindy Layton (born 1970), British singer
• Michael John Layton, 2nd Baron Layton (1912–1989), British businessman and politician
• Mike Layton (born 1980), Canadian politician
• Paul Layton (born 1947), English bass guitarist
• Randy Layton, American music producer
• Robert Layton (1925–2002), Canadian politician
• Roger Layton, developer of MBRwizard
• Stephen Layton (born 1966), English conductor
• Turner Layton (1894–1978), American songwriter, singer and pianist
• Walter Thomas Layton, 1st Baron Layton (1884–1966), British economist, editor, and newspaper proprietor