Find out how popular the last name Arbuthnot is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Arbuthnot.

Arbuthnot, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Arbuthnot surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arbuthnot in America

Arbuthnot is the 31412th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arbuthnot surname appeared 737 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Arbuthnot.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arbuthnot to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Arbuthnot

The surname Arbuthnot has its origins in Scotland, stemming from the lands of Arbuthnot in Kincardineshire. The name itself is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "ard" meaning "high" and "buth" meaning "hut" or "cottage," suggesting it originally referred to a dwelling situated on higher ground.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 12th century, when Osbert Olifard, the son of a Norman nobleman, received the lands of Arbuthnot from King William the Lion of Scotland. Olifard's descendants adopted the territorial designation "de Arbuthnot" as their surname.

The name appears in various historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 13th century, where it is spelled "Arbuthnott." Variations in spelling were common in medieval times, and the name has also been recorded as "Arbuthnot," "Arbuthnet," and "Arbuthnett."

One of the most notable individuals bearing the Arbuthnot surname was Sir Robert Arbuthnot (1538-1583), a Scottish landowner and member of the Protestant faction during the Scottish Reformation. He played a significant role in the struggle against Mary, Queen of Scots, and was involved in her forced abdication in 1567.

Another prominent figure was Viscount John Arbuthnot (1667-1735), a Scottish mathematician, satirist, and physician who served as a member of the Royal Society. He is best known for his satirical works, including the "Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus" and "The History of John Bull."

In the realm of science, John Arbuthnot (1801-1867) was a Scottish chemist and inventor who developed a method for producing alkaline sulphites, which were used in the textile industry. He also held several patents for improvements in the production of soap and other chemical processes.

The Arbuthnot surname has also been associated with notable military figures, such as Sir Robert Arbuthnot (1773-1853), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was later appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's Plymouth Station.

Another individual of note was Charles Arbuthnot (1767-1850), a British diplomat and politician who served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and later became a member of the British Parliament.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arbuthnot

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Arbuthnot.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Arbuthnot was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Arbuthnot has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Arbuthnot was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Arbuthnot, please contact us.

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