Rafton Family History

of uncertain origin. In N England it might be a pronunciation of Raughton with Middle English [χt] spelled -ght- becoming [t] or [ft]. Raughton is a Cumb place-name recorded as Rachtona (1188), Racton' (1250), Raughton (1292), and Rawton (1580), of which the second element is Old English tūn ‘farmstead’ and the first element doubtful, perhaps Old English ragu ‘moss lichen’. It gave rise to a medieval surname spelled Ragton' (1182, 1279), Rachton' (1186, 1279), and Ragheton (1278), but whether this surname survived into modern times is unknown and the current name in N England may be that in (2) by migration.

In S England, perhaps from Racton (Sussex) near Compton, where the earliest example of Rafton has been found. Compare Gilbert de Raketon 1332 in Subsidy Rolls (Eartham, Sussex) and Adam Racton 1571 in IGI (Walberton, Sussex). Racton, which is recorded as Racheton (1086), Rakentune (1121), and Raketon (1316), is from Old English tūn ‘farmstead’ with an uncertain first element, perhaps an Old English personal name *Raca or the Old English word hraca ‘throat’ used topographically to mean ‘pass rough track’.

The change from Rak- to Raf- could have been via an unrecorded intermediate form Ragheton, but evidence is lacking.