A surname and place name of English origin; most commonly recognized as the family name of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
From Old English 'clint' meaning 'rocky hill or cliff' plus 'tun' meaning 'enclosure, settlement.' Originally described a settlement near rocky terrain.
The Clinton surname literally means 'settlement by the cliff,' reflecting how many English surnames preserve ancient landscape features. Dozens of American towns named Clinton exist because English settlers often transferred familiar place names to new territories.
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