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

Colton, 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 Colton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colton in America

Colton is the 5210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colton surname appeared 6,704 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Colton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colton 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 Colton

The surname Colton originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cola" and "tun," which together mean "coal town" or "charcoal maker's town." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived in a town or village known for its coal production or charcoal-making activities.

One of the earliest known references to the Colton surname can be found in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England conducted in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name is also documented in various medieval charters and records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the late 12th century.

The surname Colton has been linked to several place names in England, including Colton, a village in West Yorkshire, and Colton, a parish in Norfolk. These locations may have been the original homesteads of some of the earliest bearers of the surname.

Among the notable historical figures with the Colton surname is Sir John Colton, a prominent English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Edward III in the 14th century. Another significant figure was John Colton, who served as the Bishop of Exeter from 1297 to 1349.

In the 16th century, John Colton (c. 1508-1568) was a renowned English Benedictine monk and theologian, known for his writings on religious topics. During the same period, William Colton (c. 1530-1598) was an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury.

Moving forward to the 17th century, Sir Henry Colton (1615-1692) was a notable English judge who served as a Baron of the Exchequer. Additionally, Eliza Colton (1636-1716) was a prominent English writer and poet, recognized for her literary works.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the Colton surname who have made significant contributions throughout history in various fields, including law, religion, politics, and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colton

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

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

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

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