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

Coltharp, 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 Coltharp surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coltharp in America

Coltharp is the 31383rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coltharp surname appeared 738 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 Coltharp.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coltharp 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 Coltharp

The surname Coltharp has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "colt" meaning a young horse, and "heorp" meaning a herd or group. Therefore, Coltharp likely referred to someone who tended or managed a herd of young horses.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Colteherde", which further supports the theory of its connection to horse herding.

During the 13th century, the surname began appearing in various spellings such as "Colthird", "Colteherd", and "Colthard" in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. These regional variations in spelling were common in the Middle Ages before standardized spelling became more widespread.

Notably, a John Colthard was recorded as a landowner in the village of Scampton, Lincolnshire, in the year 1273. Additionally, a William Colthird was mentioned in the records of the Cistercian Abbey of Rievaulx in Yorkshire in 1287.

As the centuries passed, the spelling of the surname evolved further, with variations such as "Coltherd", "Colthart", and eventually "Coltharp" becoming more common. One notable individual with this surname was Sir John Coltharp, a prominent English merchant and Member of Parliament who was born in 1545 and lived until 1612.

Another noteworthy figure was Thomas Coltharp, born in 1670, who served as the Mayor of Nottingham, England, in the early 18th century. His legacy includes the establishment of a charitable trust that still operates today, providing support for the underprivileged in the city.

In the 19th century, Elizabeth Coltharp (1812-1888) gained recognition as a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in the United States after emigrating from England. She founded several schools and actively campaigned for equal educational opportunities for women.

While the surname Coltharp is not among the most common, it has a rich and diverse history spanning centuries, with roots firmly planted in the English countryside and a connection to the ancient practice of horse herding.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coltharp

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

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

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

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