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

Claitt, 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 Claitt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Claitt in America

Claitt is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Claitt surname appeared 127 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 Claitt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Claitt 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 Claitt

The surname CLAITT is of Scottish origin, emerging in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "claett" or "clait," which referred to a clod or lump of earth or clay. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked with clay or soil, such as a potter or farmer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CLAITT can be found in the historical records of Berwickshire, a county in the Scottish Borders region. In a charter dated 1296, a certain "Willelmus Clait" is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Coldingham.

During the 14th century, variations of the name began to appear in various Scottish records, including "Clayt," "Clait," and "Cleit." In the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1359, a "Johannes Clait" is listed as a tenant farmer in the town of Linlithgow.

The CLAITT surname is also associated with the Clan Chattan, a powerful Scottish clan based in the Highlands. In the 15th century, a branch of the clan known as the Clachries or Clachries is believed to have adopted the surname CLAITT or a similar spelling.

Notable individuals with the surname CLAITT include:

1. Robert CLAITT (1572-1638), a Scottish merchant and burgess of Edinburgh who served as a baillie (magistrate) in the city during the early 17th century.

2. Isobel CLAITT (c. 1620-1692), a woman from Aberdeenshire who was accused of witchcraft during the Scottish witch trials. She was ultimately acquitted.

3. Alexander CLAITT (1687-1756), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1748.

4. James CLAITT (1777-1855), a Scottish soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later immigrated to Canada, where he became a farmer and landowner.

5. Margaret CLAITT (1842-1912), a Scottish-born novelist and poet who wrote several works inspired by her homeland, including the novel "The Heather Glen."

While the CLAITT surname is relatively uncommon today, it remains a part of Scotland's rich historical tapestry, reflecting the country's linguistic heritage and the diverse occupations and roles of its people throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Claitt

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

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

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

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