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

Flett, 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 Flett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flett in America

Flett is the 27081st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flett surname appeared 894 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Flett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flett 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 Flett

The surname Flett has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Scots word 'flat,' which referred to a piece of level or flat ground, often near a body of water. The earliest known spelling of the name was 'Flat,' which later evolved into 'Flett' over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1494, where a John Flat is mentioned. The name also appears in various Scottish records throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, often associated with areas around the Firth of Forth and the Lothians region.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Flett surname was Sir John Flett (1629-1699), a Scottish merchant and member of the Parliament of Scotland. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies, which later became the ill-fated Darien scheme.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Flett (1801-1868), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his charitable contributions, including the establishment of the Flett Trust, which supported education and housing initiatives in Scotland.

The name Flett has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Flettershields and Fletterton, which further reinforces its connection to the landscape and geographical features of the region.

Other notable individuals with the Flett surname include:

1. James Flett (1805-1876), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor.
2. Sir Arthur Flett (1867-1948), a Scottish geologist and academic.
3. Marjorie Flett (1913-2005), a Scottish novelist and playwright.
4. Gordon Flett (born 1960), a Canadian psychologist and professor.
5. Thomas Flett (1900-1983), a Scottish professional footballer.

While the Flett surname may not be as widespread as some others, it carries a rich history and has left its mark on various aspects of Scottish and international culture, from exploration and academia to literature and sports.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flett

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

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

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

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