The surname DAYTON is perhaps a weak form of DALTON or more probably a variation of DEIGHTON. The form DALTON is derived from the word "dale", probably referring to the farm or habitation of the earliest English forbears of the American family of DAYTON. The name DEIGHTON is derived from the Danish and originally meant the dike enclosure of the farm by the dike. Variations of this latter form are DAITON, DATON, DAIGHTON, DAYGHTON, and DIGHTON. In early American records, DRAYTON was sometimes used interchangeably with DAYTON.
It is recorded that a family, variously noted as DEIGHTON, DYGHTON, and DEYSON, as early as the thirteenth century resided in the vicinity of the hamlet of Deighton, in the parish of Deighton, in the east riding of Yorkshire. This hamlet is about four and a half miles south south east from the present city of York.
The early DEIGHTONs appear to have been for generations tenants of a farm on the Manor of Deighton. The Abbott of St. Mary's of York is named as the lord of the manor. The family at that time was of the yeomanry, but the family annals reveal a steady rise in both social and economic position.
The first individual recorded in the family history is one Robert de DEIGHTON, who was admitted a freeman in 1305 and was a Yeoman. In 1300 a Yeoman implied a gentleman of small estate who beside being a freeholder, was an officer in the Militia of his section of the country, hence the expression "an officer of the guard." This Robert, by an unknown wife, was the father of four sons, Robert, William, Nicholas, and John.
(2) Robert de Deighton was admitted a freeman in 1329. His occupation is given as "pistor." Sir Edmund Sandus says "A pistor is one who maketh small fire arms or little pistols." The sons of Robert were John, Walter, Galpudis, and William.
(3) John de Deighton was admitted a freeman in 1349. His occupation is set down as "Tailler" which "was not a fashhioner of garments" but "a collector of tolls or taxes." John had William and Robert.
(4) Robert de Deighton was admitted a freeman in 1372. He was a saucemaker and had two sons Willard and John.
(5) John de Deighton was admitted a freeman in 1389. He was by occupation a Marshal, Shakespeare says that a "Marshal, was an officer standing highest in arms," Dryden "the officer who regulates combats in the lists," Spencer "an officer who regulates rank and order at a feast." John married Isabel a daugther of John de Duffield, a silk merchant of York. The sons of John were Golen, William, and John.
(6) William de Deighton was admitted a freeman in 1419. He was a wine merchant and he married Joan de Morton of York. She was a daughter of Robert de Morton a merchant. Joan had a brother Thomas de Morton, who was the "Residentiary of York." In his will this reverend gentleman left to his nephew William de Deighton, son of his sister Joan, two separate legacies. William de Deighton (6) died 14 Sep 1456 and was buried beside his wife Joan, "on the south side of York Minister." Drake's history of York shows that William died a rich man. He had one son William.
(7) William de Deighton was a brewer. He was admitted a freeman in 1452. He had John.
(8) John de Deighton was admitted a freeman in 1481. He had Henry.
(9) Henry de Deighton was admitted a freeman in 1504. By occupation, he was a "dyer." In 1522, he was made City Chamberlain of York. This was the officer to whom all the city revenues were paid. He was elected Sheriff 1524-5, Alderman 1525-1551. The position of Alderman at that time, was to all intents and purposes (says Bacon) "that of a senitor or governor." Henry de Deighton was made Lord Mayor of York in 1531. He was twice married and we are descended from the son of the second wife Alice, who at the time of her marriage to Henry was the widow of Robert Petty, an Alderman. Henry died in September 1540, and in his will he directed that "he should be buried, in All Saints, on North State Street." He had Robert.
(10) Robert Deighton was the first of his line to drop the Norman de and become Deighton. He was born in 1525, was made a freeman in 1557. In 1550 he married Elizabeth Copeleyand, a daughter of John Copeleyand, and Margaret Copeleyand his wife, who was a daughter of Sir John S. Stapleton, of Wighill, York. Robert Deighton had William.
(11) William Deighton was born in York in 1551. He seems to have been the first one in this line to leave the home of his ancestors. Perhaps he was not pleased with his mother's second marriage, for shortly after Robert Deighton's eath, his widow married Sir Francis Ayscrough. At all events William left York, and went to London, settling in St. Martin's in the Fields. He married on 9 Aug 1584, Agnes a daughter of Ralph Green and Johannah Reed, his wife. William had four sons William, Thomas, Ralph and Nicholas.
Proceed to (12) Ralph Dayton page.