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

Claytor, 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 Claytor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Claytor in America

Claytor is the 12307th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Claytor surname appeared 2,526 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 Claytor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Claytor 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 Claytor

The surname Claytor is of English origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "claeg" meaning clay, and "tor" meaning a rocky hill or a tor, suggesting that the name may have referred to a person who lived near a clayey hill or tor.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Claytor can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, where it appears as "Claytor". This suggests that the name may have originated in the Yorkshire region of England.

In the 16th century, the surname was also recorded in various spellings such as "Cleytor" and "Claitur" in parish records and court documents across various parts of England, indicating the name's spread and variations in spelling.

One notable historical reference to the name Claytor is found in the will of Thomas Claytor of Ripon, Yorkshire, dated 1585. This document provides valuable insight into the family's presence in the region during that time period.

Over the centuries, several individuals bearing the surname Claytor have left their mark in various fields. One such example is John Claytor (1590-1675), an English clergyman and author who served as Rector of Rawmarsh in Yorkshire.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Claytor (1720-1808), a pioneer and settler in Virginia, United States. He played a significant role in the early exploration and settlement of the region.

In the 19th century, William Claytor (1816-1890) was a prominent industrialist and entrepreneur in Virginia, known for his involvement in the development of the railroad industry in the state.

The name Claytor has also been associated with various place names, such as Claytor Lake, a reservoir located in Pulaski County, Virginia, named after the Claytor family who owned land in the area.

While the surname Claytor may have originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and settlement patterns. However, the name's roots can be traced back to its English origins and the geographical features that likely inspired its formation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Claytor

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

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

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

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