This is a very rare spelling of the locational and habitational surname Langton, also found as Lanton and Launton. The origination is Old English and Anglo-Saxon pre 8th Century, the translation being (usually), "the long farm", but occasionally "lang" may be a shortened form of a female name originally spelt "Langlif" and popular before the 1066 Norman Conquest, but lost thereafter. The spelling as "Lainton" is probably a form which developed from the pronunciation of "Lang" as "Lane" or "Lain", however although uncommon, it has been recorded for at least two and a half centuries in its own right. It is possible that a village actually spelt "Lainton" once existed, but if so, we are unable to identify such a place. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ann Lainton, which was dated November 17th 1751, married Richard Mogford at St. Martins-in-the-Field, Westminster, during the reign of King George 11, "The last soldier King", 1727 - 1760. 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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