It appeared in English at about the same time as Ham, meaning "home". So, by inference, a ham was where the farmer lived but his ton was an enclosed area away from his home (like a sheep pen or isolated plot of land). Normally, the farmer would have one ham but might have several tons. Perhaps he would have one north of his ham (Norton), south of his ham (Sutton), East of his ham (Aston) and west of his ham (Weston). He might have one for his sheep (Shepton) and another to protect his fruit trees (Appleton).

Later, of course, his son (perhaps the shepherd of the family) could choose to live near one of the tons so ton would gradually begin to mean "farm" and, as the family grew, a "village" or a "town".

In most cases, ton could be replaced by garden, paddock, or small field but it was not only land which could be enclosed. An innkeeper would have enclosures (barrels) for his ale and if he sold Mild, Bitter and Stout, he would need three tuns.