I have found another ancient reference to BOTIN. In "The Norman people and their existing descendants in the British dominions and the United States of America", on page 167 (surnames BOR-BOT), there is this entry:

"Bottin. Stephen, Gilbert, and William Botin occur in Normandy, 1180-95 (MRS). Alicia, widow of Thomas Buting or Boting paid a fine in Lincoln (Roberts, Excerpt. ii. 363)

On page 132, the list of abbreviations gives MRS as "Magn. Rotul. Scaccarli Normaniae in the Memoires de la Societe des Antiquaries de la Normandie, t. 15-17".

So the name BOTIN is apparently Norman, so that the Ralph BOTIN in the Domesday Book was probalby Norman.

Here is the URL for this book in Google Books. Search on "Botin" or go to page 167 to see the entry:

http://books.google.com/books?id=TVMBAAAAQAAJ&printsec=f...