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

Culbreath, 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 Culbreath surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Culbreath in America

Culbreath is the 13101st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Culbreath surname appeared 2,340 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 Culbreath.

We can also compare 2010 data for Culbreath 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 Culbreath

The surname CULBREATH is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period, likely derived from a combination of the Old English words "col" meaning cole or charcoal, and "breth" meaning breath or vapour. This suggests the name may have been an occupational surname referring to someone who worked with charcoal or in a related industry, such as a blacksmith or coal miner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CULBREATH surname can be found in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls of 1456, where a "John Culbreth" is mentioned as a resident of Ayrshire. This indicates the name was already in use by the 15th century, although it may have existed earlier under slightly different spellings.

The CULBREATH name appears to have been concentrated primarily in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. It is believed to have been associated with the village of Culbreath, which is now a part of the town of Dalry in North Ayrshire.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the CULBREATH surname was Sir James Culbreath (1612-1676), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1669 to 1672. He was known for his involvement in the expansion of trade and commerce in the city.

Another historical figure with the CULBREATH surname was John Culbreath (1776-1848), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1827 to 1830. He was involved in the shipping industry and was a prominent figure in the local community.

In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the CULBREATH name was William Culbreath (1832-1901), a Scottish-American engineer and inventor who was credited with numerous innovations in the field of steam engine technology. He held several patents and his work contributed to the advancement of industrial machinery.

The CULBREATH surname also has a presence in literary history, with the Scottish author and poet Alexander Culbreath (1860-1925) being a notable figure. He was known for his works celebrating the beauty of the Scottish countryside and his contributions to the Scottish literary Renaissance of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the CULBREATH surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history rooted in Scotland and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Culbreath

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

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

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

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