Hamilton

Name: Hamilton, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈhæmɪltən/

//ˈhæmɪltən// name

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“Hamilton” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,240 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#4,240
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 12
tracked misspellings: 2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A Scottish surname from Old English.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Hamilton vs Hilton

75% similar

Hamilton vs Hampton

75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Hamilton
Property	Value
Headword	Hamilton
Language	English
Part of speech	Proper noun
IPA	/ˈhæmɪltən/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#4,240
Misspellings tracked	12
Confusable pairs	2
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Hamilton” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Hamilton lands here:

#4,240

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Hamilton is 8 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhæmɪltən/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,240 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 78 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for Hamilton, with forms such as "ahmilton", "haimlton", and "hamillton". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Hilton", "Hampton", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old English *Hameldūne, from hamel (“blunt, flat-topped”) + dūne (“hill”). The Scottish surname is from the place in Leicestershire. The dollar-bill sense is from the portrait of Alexander Hamilton featured on it. The correct English form is Hamilton, spelled H-A-M-I-L-T-O-N.

Definition

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A Scottish surname from Old English.
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A male given name transferred from the surname.
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A Scottish dukedom.
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A town in South Lanarkshire council area, Scotland; named for the Clan Hamilton (OS grid ref NS7255).
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A city in Waikato, North Island, New Zealand; named for Cpt. John Fane Charles Hamilton, a commander in the Tauranga Campaign.
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Etymology

From Old English *Hameldūne, from hamel (“blunt, flat-topped”) + dūne (“hill”). The Scottish surname is from the place in Leicestershire. The dollar-bill sense is from the portrait of Alexander Hamilton featured on it.

This word in other languages

Hamilton(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ahmilton,haimlton,hamillton,hamilotn,hamiltno,hamiltonn,hamiltton,hamitlon,hamliton,hammilton,hhamilton,hmailton

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Hamilton - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "Hamilton"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Hamilton"?

"Hamilton" is spelled H-A-M-I-L-T-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhæmɪltən/.

What does "Hamilton" mean?

As a proper noun, "Hamilton" means: A Scottish surname from Old English.

What words are commonly confused with "Hamilton"?

"Hamilton" is commonly confused with "Hilton", "Hampton". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "Hamilton"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Hamilton" is /ˈhæmɪltən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "Hamilton"?

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Hamilton”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is H-A-M-I-L-T-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈhæmɪltən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “Hilton” - see the side-by-side comparison. Hamilton vs Hilton
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.