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

Carthon, 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 Carthon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carthon in America

Carthon is the 48060th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carthon surname appeared 440 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 Carthon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carthon 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 Carthon

The surname Carthon has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "carthan," which means "beloved one" or "dear one." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed as a nickname or term of endearment.

The earliest recorded instance of the Carthon surname can be found in the parish records of Ayrshire, Scotland, where a John Carthon was listed in 1587. It is likely that the name originated in this region, although it later spread to other parts of Scotland and beyond.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name appeared in various Scottish historical documents and records. For example, in the Scottish Burgess Roll of 1646, a William Carthon was mentioned as a resident of Edinburgh. This indicates that the Carthon family had established itself in urban areas by that time.

The Carthon surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was James Carthon, a Scottish philosopher and author born in 1665. His most famous work, "The Treatise on Moral Philosophy," published in 1702, explored ethical and metaphysical concepts.

In the 19th century, Robert Carthon (1812-1887) was a prominent Scottish industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the city of Paisley. His textile mills employed thousands of workers and contributed greatly to the local economy.

Another notable figure was Margaret Carthon (1856-1932), a Scottish educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded the Carthon School for Girls in Glasgow, which provided education to young women at a time when opportunities were limited.

The Carthon surname has also been linked to various place names in Scotland, such as Carthen Hill in Ayrshire and Carthen Burn in Dumfries and Galloway. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

While the Carthon surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through immigration and migration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the 16th century Scottish Highlands, where it was likely used as a term of affection before becoming a hereditary surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carthon

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

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

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

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