As to the issue of the correct spelling of the name for the Scottish Seton family, it should be noted that since the beginning of the family’s history, it was the pronunciation of the name which was the single most important idea, rather than how it was spelt.  Complicating any discussion on this subject is the one single area which is all too often over looked by researchers, particularly in North America: that of the Scots Language and that particular manner of speaking that our ancestors bore.

In the modern English language, there are several correct spellings for the word, Seton.  The first being: S-E-A-T-O-N, which takes it linguistic origins from England and the meaning of the name, which is Sea-Town, the town by the sea.  This is probably the oldest traditional spelling within the rules the of English language.  The Scots spelling of the name is, of course S-E-T-O-N, and this is the preferred and traditional spelling of our family name.  However, there is yet another variance that also has credence within both the old and new laws of the language which is: S-E-E-T-O-N.  This particular method appears mostly in the Irish branch from Donegal who came from Aberdeen and who are the Seeton's of Nova Scotia, yet there are other similar occurrences throughout both Scotland and England.  And lastly, there are the ancient variations, written such as S-E-Y-T-O-U-N and which correspond to the linguistic spelling derived of phonetics and which is often found in ancient documents.