Wethington
An English-style surname that likely began as a place-based name meaning “the settlement associated with Wetha or Wæth,” though its exact origin is uncertain.
The #9,618 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 91,372 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Wethington looks like an English place-name surname built from an Old English personal name or byname plus -ing- and -ton. The ending -ton usually means “farm,” “estate,” or “settlement,” while the middle element likely points to “the people/family of” someone called Weth(a) or a similar old personal name. Because no secure early forms are available here, the first element remains uncertain, and the name is best treated as a habitational surname from a now-lost or altered English place-name.
History
Surnames of this type were often adopted by families who moved from a village or hamlet name into another district, and later spellings could shift quite a bit. Wethington is now especially familiar in the United States, where it is relatively uncommon and may reflect a small number of immigrant or regional family lines. The modern form may also preserve an older English place-name element that is no longer transparent today.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The ending -ton is one of the clearest clues in English surname study: it usually signals a settlement-based origin, even when the first part of the name has become obscure.