The suffix '-ton' comes from the Old English word 'tun', meaning an enclosed farmstead, village or settlement. It is one of the most common place-name elements in the English-speaking world, found in hundreds of towns across Britain, North America and Australia. Anglo-Saxon settlers used 'tun' from around the 5th century CE to describe agricultural settlements enclosed by hedges or fences.
| Country | United States |
| Region | TX |
| Population | 2,314,157 |
| Language of origin | Old English |
| Type of name |
Etymology & History
Houston is a ppla2 located in TX, United States. With a population of approximately 2,314,157, it is one of many communities whose name tells a story about the region's past.
Understanding why places are named as they are gives us a window into history — the languages spoken, the people honoured, the landscapes encountered and the cultures that shaped the world we live in today. The field of toponymy (the study of place names) reveals that almost every name has a meaning, even when that meaning has been obscured by centuries of linguistic change.