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

Arnston, 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 Arnston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arnston in America

Arnston is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arnston surname appeared 103 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 Arnston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arnston 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 Arnston

The surname ARNSTON is of English origin, emerging during the late medieval period in the north of England. It is believed to be derived from a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from the settlement of Arnston or a similar place name. The root of the name likely comes from the Old English words "earn," meaning eagle, and "tun," meaning farmstead or village.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the ARNSTON surname can be found in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines from 1379, which documents a land transaction involving a Robert de Arneston. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the 14th century.

The ARNSTON name appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire throughout the Middle Ages and into the early modern period. Historical records show variations in spelling, such as Arneston, Arniston, and Arnston.

Notable individuals bearing the ARNSTON surname include William Arnston, a wealthy merchant from York who lived in the 16th century and was involved in the city's wool trade. Another prominent figure was Sir John Arnston, a landowner and member of the gentry from Lincolnshire in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the ARNSTON name can be found in parish records from the village of Arnston in Nottinghamshire, suggesting a possible connection to the place name. One significant figure from this era was Samuel Arnston (1714-1789), a respected clergyman and author who served as the rector of several parishes in the county.

During the 19th century, the ARNSTON surname gained further recognition with the birth of James Arnston (1823-1901), a pioneering architect who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Throughout its history, the ARNSTON name has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the northern counties. While the surname may have evolved from a locational origin, it has since become a distinct and recognizable English surname with a rich heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arnston

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

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 Arnston 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 Arnston 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 Arnston was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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