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

Cawthon, 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 Cawthon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cawthon in America

Cawthon is the 11733rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cawthon surname appeared 2,671 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 Cawthon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cawthon 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 Cawthon

The surname CAWTHON has its origins in England, emerging in the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words 'calu' meaning 'bald' and 'tun' meaning 'town' or 'settlement'. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who resided in a settlement or village associated with a bald or hairless individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CAWTHON can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which documented the name as 'Caluetuna'. This suggests the name's existence in England during the 13th century. Over time, various spellings emerged, including Calweton, Calveton, and eventually, the modern form, CAWTHON.

While the name does not appear in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, it is mentioned in several historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For instance, a Robert de Calweton is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1290, indicating the presence of the name in that region during the late medieval period.

The earliest known bearer of the surname CAWTHON was William Cawthon, born around 1410 in Cheshire, England. He was a landowner and farmer, and his descendants continued to reside in the area for several generations. Another notable figure was John Cawthon, born in 1562 in Lancashire, who was a respected local merchant and served as a magistrate in his community.

In the 17th century, the name CAWTHON appears in various parish records across England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire. One prominent individual from this era was Thomas Cawthon (1625-1702), a respected clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Wigan in Lancashire.

The 18th century saw the name CAWTHON spread to other parts of Britain, with records indicating its presence in Scotland and Wales. A notable bearer from this period was Sir Robert Cawthon (1745-1823), a wealthy industrialist and landowner from Yorkshire, who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the region.

As the British Empire expanded, the CAWTHON name also found its way to various colonies and territories. One such example is William Cawthon (1785-1859), who was born in Derbyshire, England, but later emigrated to Australia in the early 19th century, where he became a prominent farmer and landowner.

Throughout history, the surname CAWTHON has been associated with various occupations and social standings, from farmers and merchants to clergymen and industrialists. While not a widespread name, it has left its mark in various regions of England and other parts of the world, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have carried this distinctive surname over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cawthon

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

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

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

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