Layton is a surname derived from various place names in England. Two known etymologies stem from place names in Lancashire (in Blackpool) and another in North Yorkshire. The former was named in Old English as ‘settlement by the watercourse’, from Old English lād ‘watercourse’ + tūn ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’; the latter as ‘leek enclosure’ or ‘herb garden’, from lēac ‘leek’ + tūn. Also often spelled as Leighton. Notable people with the surname include:
Bentley Layton (born 1941), American religious scholar
Bob Layton (born 1953), American comic book artist
Caleb R. Layton (1851–1930), U.S. Representative from Delaware
Caleb S. Layton (1798–1882), American politician and judge from Delaware
Chris Layton (born 1955), American drummer
Christopher Layton (1821–1898), Mormon church leader
Daniel J. Layton (1879–1960), Supreme Court Justice of Delaware
Eddie Layton (1925–2004), American organist
Edwin T. Layton (1903–1984), American naval intelligence officer
Geoffrey Layton (1884–1964), British admiral
George Layton (born 1943), British actor
Gilbert Layton (1899–1961), Canadian politician
Irving Layton (1912–2006), Canadian poet
Jack Layton (1950–2011), Canadian politician
Joe Layton (1931–1994), American director and choreographer
Lindy Layton (born 1970), British singer
Michael John Layton, 2nd Baron Layton (1912–1989), British businessman and politician
Mike Layton (born 1980), Canadian politician
Paul Layton (born 1947), English bass guitarist
Randy Layton, American music producer
Robert Layton (1925–2002), Canadian politician
Roger Layton, developer of MBRwizard
Stephen Layton (born 1966), English conductor
Turner Layton (1894–1978), American songwriter, singer and pianist
Walter Thomas Layton, 1st Baron Layton (1884–1966), British economist, editor, and newspaper proprietor
