This is a locational name "of Dalton" from a number of places thus called. Dalton in Durham, Lancashire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Westmorland and Northumberland. The name derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "doel" - a "valley" or "dale" and "tun" - a farm or settlement, and was originally given to those in residence in a valley settlement. (The place name is chiefly found in hilly districts of Northern England). In the modern idiom the name has four spelling variations:-Dalton, Daulton, Daughton and Dawton. Locational names frequently undergo much spelling transposition. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry de Dalton. which was dated 1273, in the "Hundred Rolls of Northumberland". during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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