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

Easton, 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 Easton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Easton in America

Easton is the 3477th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Easton surname appeared 10,276 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Easton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Easton 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 Easton

The surname Easton is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English words "east" and "tun," which together mean "east town" or "eastern homestead." This name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived in the easternmost part of a village or settlement.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Easton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Eastun" and "Estun," reflecting the evolution of the English language over time.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Easton was Sir Nicholas Easton, who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent landowner and served as the Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1265. Another early bearer of the name was John Easton, a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Great Yarmouth in 1295.

In the 16th century, James Easton (1544-1597) was an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Archdeacon of Essex from 1589 until his death. During this period, the surname was also associated with various place names, such as Easton Neston in Northamptonshire and Easton Royal in Wiltshire.

Benjamin Easton (1673-1753) was a prominent figure in colonial America. He served as the Governor of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations from 1723 to 1734. Easton, Pennsylvania, a city founded in 1752, was named in his honor.

Mary Easton (1799-1884), an English botanist and author, made significant contributions to the study of botany and published several books on the subject. Her works included illustrations and descriptions of various plant species.

Other notable individuals with the surname Easton include Robert Easton (1892-1972), an American actor and film director, and David Easton (born 1938), a British author and historian known for his works on Renaissance art and culture.

Throughout history, the surname Easton has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, politicians, clergymen, scholars, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Easton

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

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

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

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