When we type Sutton into online maps, you may be surprised to see that the London borough of Sutton is not the only one. There are in fact 89 places in history in the world with the word Sutton in its name, spread across England, Ireland, Wales, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In England, there are Suttons in Birmingham, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Plymouth , Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, Hasting, Kent, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, London, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shrewsbury, Somerset, Suffolk, Chichester, Wiltshire and Yorkshire.
The word Sutton directly translates to mean south settlement or south town. It is also a common surname, and there are seven sports teams in England with the name Sutton in its title. The London borough of Sutton originally was in surrey, until 1965. Its name was recorded in the 1065 doomsday book under the name Sudtone, meaning south farm. It has a population of 41,483, which has had a growth of 31, 149 since 1881. The London borough of Sutton is known for being the greenest borough, and for having lots of good secondary schools. Three of the top ten schools in England are in Sutton. The leader of Sutton council has been quoted to say “the borough is quietly brilliant”, and that 91% of residents say it is a great place to live. Another well-known Sutton is Sutton Coldfield, which is situated in Birmingham, and has a population of 95,107. Its name Coldfield is thought to derive from the word ‘charcoal, which can be found in the area.
The word Sutton is also quite a common surname. In the 1379 tax records, the name appears as De Sutton, and is thought to be derived from Anglo- Norman terms. There have been four baronetcies set up for people with the surname Sutton, and one of which still existed as of 2008. These were the Sutton baronetcy of Norwood Park, of Moulsey, of Castlehouse and of Beckenham.
by Lucy Markham
Sutton High School
