This is a locational name which derives either from the Olde English pre 7th Century 'Hrycg - Tun' translating as 'The farm (tun) on the ridge', or from a town or village such as Reighton in Yorkshire. There is also a strong possibility that some name holders may derive from 'Wyrhtena - tun', as in 'Wrichington' recorded in Lancashire in 1202, meaning the wrights farm, although generally 'wrights' were more associated with mills than farms. The name recordings include Oliver Righton, christened at St. Olaves Church, Southwark on August 2nd 1640, whilst in the records of 'the summer islands' (West Indies) for 1662 - 1663, 'Landes No 38' it was recorded that 'Elizabeth Naifer holdeth a pcell of land belonging to ...... Mr. Wrighton'. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Writone, which was dated December 23rd 1565, Baptised at St. Martins in the Field, Westminster, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 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.

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