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

Carruthers, 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 Carruthers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carruthers in America

Carruthers is the 6351st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carruthers surname appeared 5,367 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Carruthers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carruthers 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 Carruthers

The surname Carruthers has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is a territorial name derived from the lands of Carruthers, located in the former county of Dumfriesshire. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric words "cair" meaning "fortified dwelling" and "rythr" meaning "stream" or "ford," suggesting it was initially a place name referring to a fortified dwelling by a stream or ford.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname dates back to the 12th century, with a mention of Randulf de Cariers in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls listing Scots who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. During this time, the name was also spelled as "Caruthers" or "Carruthirs," reflecting the variations in spelling common in medieval times.

One notable historical figure bearing the Carruthers name was Sir John de Carruthers, who lived in the 14th century and served as a Scottish knight and ambassador to England. He played a significant role in negotiating peace treaties between Scotland and England during the reign of King Robert II.

In the 15th century, the Carruthers family held lands in Annandale and were considered a prominent border clan. The name appears in various charters and legal documents from this period, solidifying their presence and influence in the region.

Another notable bearer of the Carruthers name was William Carruthers, who lived in the 16th century and was appointed as the Bishop of Bangor in 1593. He played an important role in the Church of England during the tumultuous times of the Protestant Reformation.

The surname Carruthers continued to be prevalent in Scotland throughout the centuries, with several notable individuals bearing the name. These include the scientist William Carruthers (1830-1922), who served as the Keeper of Botany at the British Museum, and the writer and poet Robert Carruthers (1799-1878), known for his works on Scottish literature and history.

In more recent times, the name Carruthers has spread beyond Scotland, with bearers found in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Scottish diaspora populations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carruthers

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

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

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

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