Clanton
A surname most likely from a place name or a family branch of an older name, rather than from a common occupation or trait.
The #4,455 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 38,763 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Clanton is most likely an English surname formed from a place-name, probably meaning a settlement or farm associated with a person or feature called "Clan" or "Clane." In many English surnames, the ending -ton comes from Old English "tūn," meaning "farmstead," "estate," or "enclosed settlement." The first element is less certain and may reflect an old local name, so the surname’s literal meaning is not fully secure.
History
The name appears to have developed in England and later spread to North America, where it is now most common in the United States. Like many locational surnames, it would originally have identified someone who came from a particular place or lived near it. In modern usage it is established as a family name rather than a transparent word-name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because -ton names often point to very old English settlements, Clanton may preserve a place-name element that no longer survives as a common word.