This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Hoghton,' a chapelry in the parish of Leyland, five miles from Preston, Lancashire; v. Houghton.

Johannes de Hoghton, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Sir Richard Hoghton, of Hoghton, baronet, 1635: Wills at Chester.

(English) belonging to Hoghton (Lancs), 13th cent. Hoghton, Hochton = the Hough- Farmstead [O.E, hóh, a promontory, ‘projecting ridge of land’] On a lofty ridge of hills are the ruined gateway, &c., of the old tower of the Hoghtons.—Nat. Gaz.

Adam de Hocton, held one carucate of land in Hocton (now Hoghton Tower), co, Lancaster, temp. Henry II. The present Sir Henry Bold Hoghton, who stands second on the roll of Baronets (1611) is the existing representative.

This family, according to the Testa de Neville, and Baines (Lancaster), descends from Hamo Pincerna, who, in the reign of William Rufus (or Henry I.), obtained Hocton in marriage with the dau. of Warin Bussel. This Hamo cannot have been of the house of Butler, Earls of Ormond (as the Peerages suppose), because the name Pincerna was not borne by the latter till much later. He was probably a son of Richard Pincerna, (and it may be observed that his own son bore the name of Richard). The latter was ancestor of the Pincernas or Butlers, Lords Boteler of Warrington (1295), Butlers of Chester. Richard Pincerna made grants in Cheshire to Chester Abbey c. 1090 (Mon. i. 201). He is mentioned 1086 as holding great estates in Salop and Cheshire (Domesd.). About 1134 Robert Pincerna founded Pulton Priory, Cheshire (Mon. i. 890). It appears from the early arms of these barons that they were a branch of the house of Venables or Le Venur. See Grosyenor.