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

Edmiston, 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 Edmiston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Edmiston in America

Edmiston is the 7404th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Edmiston surname appeared 4,495 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 Edmiston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Edmiston 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 Edmiston

The surname Edmiston has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the lands of Edminstone, a small village near Edinburgh. The name itself likely comes from the Old English personal name "Eadmund" combined with "tun," meaning an enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a crucial historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The entry "William de Edmundestone" suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

In the 15th century, a branch of the Edmiston family settled in the village of Ednam, located in the Scottish Borders region. This is evidenced by the appearance of the name "John Edmistoun of Ednam" in various local records from that period.

During the 16th century, the Edmistons played a notable role in the Scottish Reformation. John Edmiston (c. 1510-1583), a Protestant minister and reformer, was a prominent figure in the movement and a close associate of John Knox.

In the late 17th century, the name Edmiston gained further recognition through the exploits of Captain William Edmiston (c. 1660-1712), a Scottish naval officer and explorer. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to chart the western coast of Australia, naming several landmarks in the process.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir James Edmiston (1791-1876), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was a significant contributor to various charitable causes in Glasgow and beyond.

Other prominent individuals with the surname Edmiston include:

1. James Edmiston (1835-1920), a Scottish-American architect known for his work in Washington, D.C., including the design of the Scottish Rite Temple.
2. Robert Edmiston (born 1946), a British businessman and founder of the IM Group, a leading distribution and logistics company.
3. Lindsay Edmiston (born 1990), an Australian rugby league player who has represented both Queensland and Australia.
4. Jill Edmiston (born 1975), an American actress and writer, best known for her work on the television series "The Office" and "Community."

Throughout its long history, the surname Edmiston has maintained a strong association with its Scottish roots, while also spreading to various parts of the world through migration and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Edmiston

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

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

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

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