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

Colt, 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 Colt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colt in America

Colt is the 19498th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colt surname appeared 1,385 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 Colt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colt 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 Colt

The surname COLT is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Shropshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "colt," which refers to a young male horse or pony.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname COLT can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as Colte, Culte, and Culht, reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname COLT was Robert Colt, who lived in Shropshire in the 13th century. Records from that period indicate that he was a prominent landowner and a member of the local gentry.

During the 14th century, the surname COLT began to spread to other parts of England, particularly in the counties of Norfolk and Essex. This expansion was likely due to migration and the establishment of new settlements.

In the 15th century, a notable figure with the surname COLT was Sir John Colt (c. 1435-1510), a distinguished soldier and member of the landed gentry in Suffolk. He served under King Henry VII and was knighted for his loyalty and service.

Another prominent individual with the surname COLT was Sir Henry Colt (1572-1634), a successful merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1636. He was instrumental in the establishment of the East India Company and played a significant role in the expansion of trade between England and the East.

In the 17th century, the surname COLT was associated with several place names in England, such as Coltshall in Norfolk and Coltishall in Suffolk. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "colt" and "halh" (meaning "nook" or "corner of land"), suggesting that the name may have originated from a geographical location.

One of the most famous bearers of the surname COLT was Samuel Colt (1814-1862), the renowned American inventor and businessman. He revolutionized the firearms industry with his innovative revolving-cylinder pistol design and established the iconic Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company.

Throughout history, other notable individuals with the surname COLT include Sir George Colt (1588-1661), an English politician and landowner; Samuel Colt (1779-1855), an American politician and jurist; and Christopher Colt (1808-1890), an English painter and illustrator.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colt

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

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

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

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