Appleton

Appleton is a place name used in several English-speaking countries. The toponym derives from the Old English æppel and tūn, meaning an orchard or farmstead where apples are grown; it was used to describe settlements established around such orchards.

Among places named Appleton, the best known is Appleton, Wisconsin, a city in the Fox River Valley with Lawrence University and a historic downtown. There are other smaller communities and towns named Appleton across the United States, as well as in Canada and the United Kingdom, often reflecting earlier agricultural settlements.

As a surname, Appleton originated from these place names and has been borne by various individuals in public life and scholarship.