In 1448 in Common Pleas there was a Robert Elryngton, of Elryngton, Northumb, esquire. I think this must be East Elrington, about 25 miles west of Newcastle. Vance > > Elrington: > The ending of the surname (considering for both "ing" and "ton") suggests a place name. The suffix 'ing' (or ling) means being from a place, i.e. Earthling; and ton meaning town. These account for places such as Reading, Woking, Hastings, Nottingham etc., and also Milton, Brighton, Boston, etc. Many places combine both suffixes as is seen in Wellington, Washington, Durrington, Babington, Farlington, etc. > A good explanation for place names in England can be heard on The History of English Podcast, Ep. 30 "The Celtic Legacy". > > > > During this timeframe, I tend to think of England as three main tribes: Welsh, southern England (Anglo-Saxon), and northern England (Danelaw). Broadly speaking, these groups tend to marry with other families of their country. > > > There is a town in Yorkshire called Elvington, which is probably the etymology of the surname for this particular group of Elringtons. Also, note the marriages: > > Robert Elrington married Kateryn Browne (a family from the north) > Their children: > Dorothy, married John Darnall, Baron of the Exchequer (a family from the north) > Elizabeth, married Bartholomew Jekyll of Newington, Middx. (a family from Lincolnshire) > Anne, married (1st) ... Vaughan and (2nd) William Lego of London (1. Welsh, 2. unknown) > Ursula, married Martin Massingberd (a family from Lincolnshire) > Margaret, married Augustin Massingberd (same family from Lincolnshire)