This name is of English topographic origin for someone who lived on a farm situated in a flat meadow. The first element derives from the Olde Norse "sleigh(t)" from "sletta", a level field, plus the Olde English pre 7th century "tun", a farm or settlement. The surname is first recorded towards the end of the 16th Century, (see below). The variant spellings Slaten and Slatten are recorded in Berkshire in 1673 and 1717 respectively. On June 11th 1616, William Salyton married an Ann Dine in St. Benet, Paul's Wharf, London and on May 13th 1773, Sushannah Slayton married Edward Fleet in St. Mary le Strand, Westminster. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Sleighton married Scisila Siggens. which was dated July 12th 1590, at St. Margaret, Westminster. during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as Good Queen Bess, 1558 - 1603. 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.