"The Whartons are descendents of norseman who conquered the province of Normandy around 900 and settled near Caen in present day France. The first Wharton in England was an officer with William the Conquerer -- Gilbert de Querton (as it was orignially spelled) -- who arrived in 1066 with the Norman invasion of England and married into the de Hastings line.

The de Querton name is probably of celtic origin -- meaning something similar to ?a grove of apple trees,? ?a hill with apple trees,? or "by the apple tree." The celtic alphabet was designated by trees and the letter Q, or "queirt," was represented by the apple tree. The suffix "ton" was commonly used to denote "a hill" of "by something" (which was often a hill). Names such as Appleton or Appleby may actually be anglisized versions of the de Querton family name.

The family name first became Quarton, then Wherton, eventually becaming Whorton. English records indicate that there are many forms of the name -- Warton, Wartone, Whartin, Wharten, Wartun, and Whartun -- though generally Wharton is the spelling most commonly used in America."