Penton Family History

English (mainly Hampshire): habitational name from Penton Grafton or Penton Mewsey (both in Hampshire) or from a shortened form of Pennington. The placenames denoted a farm or estate for which a penny tax was payable (Old English pening ‘penny’ + tūn). In north-west England, it is a shortened form of Pennington from either of the places called Pennington in Lancashire.

In the West Midlands, it derives from a lost place called Pinton in Alvechurch (Worcestershire). It denoted ‘Pinna's farm’ from an Old English personal name combined with Old English genitival -ing- + tūn. This construction was common in the naming of farms and estates.

In Norfolk, it may be a variant of Panton, suggesting regional variations in the use and interpretation of place names related to farming and habitation. These variations highlight the rich linguistic and historical tapestry of the region.