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

Culbreth, 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 Culbreth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Culbreth in America

Culbreth is the 10882nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Culbreth surname appeared 2,929 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 Culbreth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Culbreth 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 Culbreth

The surname Culbreth is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "col" meaning coal or charcoal, and "breth" meaning a burnt place. This suggests that the name may have been occupational, referring to someone who worked with charcoal or lived near a charcoal-burning area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a John Colbreth. This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time. The name is also found in various other historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, which lists a Robert Colbriht.

During the 16th century, the name began to take on its more recognizable modern spelling of Culbreth. In 1548, a Thomas Culbreth was recorded in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. Another early bearer of the name was William Culbreth, who was born in 1573 in Oxfordshire.

One notable person with the surname Culbreth was Sir John Culbreth, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 16th century. He was a landowner in Gloucestershire and served as a Justice of the Peace. Another individual of note was Robert Culbreth (1625-1697), a English clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Michael's Church in Coventry.

In the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of the British Isles. In 1638, a John Culbreth was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. Another early Scottish bearer of the name was William Culbreth, who was born in 1672 in Dumfries.

As the name continued to evolve, it also appeared in various place names throughout England. For example, there is a Culbreth Farm in Worcestershire, and a Culbreth Lane in Gloucestershire, both of which likely derived their names from early Culbreth families who lived in those areas.

While the Culbreth surname has its roots in England, it eventually spread to other parts of the world through emigration. Some notable individuals with this surname include Sir Charles Culbreth (1820-1898), a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of the Bahamas, and James Culbreth (1842-1918), an American businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Culbreth

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

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

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

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