Ayton is a habitational surname of English origin. It derives from various places named Ayton, such as the village in the Scottish Borders council area (formerly Berwickshire) and Ayton in North Yorkshire. The place name is composed from Old English elements: either ea meaning "river" combined with tun "enclosure, yard, town", or possibly ieg "island" plus tun. Thus, the name could signify "river settlement" or "settlement on an island". The surname Ayton belongs to the general class of location-based surnames in British tradition, granted to people who resided in or near the originating town. Variant forms include Aiton and Aytoun. The name is historically concentrated in northeastern England and the Scottish Borders, though it has spread through emigration to other English-speaking countries.