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

Canton, 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 Canton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Canton in America

Canton is the 13049th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Canton surname appeared 2,353 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Canton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Canton 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 Canton

The surname Canton originated in France, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "canton," which referred to a district or division of a larger territory. This term likely has its roots in the Latin word "cantus," meaning "corner" or "side."

The name Canton was initially found in the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas of Normandy and Picardy. These regions were known for their administrative divisions called "cantons," which may have contributed to the surname's development.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Canton surname appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions a landowner named Robertus de Cantunia, which is believed to be an early variant of the Canton name.

In the 13th century, records show a nobleman named Guillaume de Canton who owned lands in the Champagne region of France. Another notable figure from this period was Jean Canton, a French philosopher and theologian who lived from 1240 to 1310.

During the Renaissance period, the Canton name gained prominence with the birth of Jean Canton, a renowned French painter and engraver who lived from 1510 to 1587. His works were highly regarded and can be found in various art collections across Europe.

In the 18th century, a notable figure with the Canton surname was John Canton, an English physicist and teacher born in 1718. He made significant contributions to the study of electricity and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1749. Canton died in 1772.

Another prominent individual was William Canton, an English writer and journalist born in 1845. He was a prolific author and contributed to various publications, including The Graphic and The Illustrated London News. Canton passed away in 1926.

Throughout history, the Canton surname has been associated with various locations, including the town of Canton in Picardy, France, and the city of Canton (now known as Guangzhou) in China. While the name's origins are primarily French, it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Canton

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

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

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

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