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

Fullerton, 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 Fullerton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fullerton in America

Fullerton is the 4162nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fullerton surname appeared 8,517 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 Fullerton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fullerton 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 Fullerton

The surname Fullerton is of English origin, derived from a combination of the Old English words "full" meaning "bird" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." It is believed to have originated in the late 11th century and was initially a place name referring to settlements or towns where birds were plentiful or where people bred birds.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Fulletun" and "Fuletun." These entries likely refer to places in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, respectively. Over time, the name evolved into its current spelling, Fullerton.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Fullerton was Sir William Fullerton (c. 1272-1343), a Scottish knight and landowner who served under King Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He was granted lands in Ayrshire for his loyalty and military service.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Fullerton (c. 1500-1568), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for refusing to renounce his faith. He is remembered as one of the Martyrs of Gateshead.

In the 17th century, John Fullerton (1594-1666) was a Scottish theologian and principal of the University of Glasgow. He played a significant role in the debates surrounding the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.

During the American Revolutionary War, Richard Fullerton (1747-1797) served as a colonel in the Continental Army and fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Trenton.

In the 19th century, Alexander Fullerton (1808-1879) was a Scottish writer and naval officer who served in the Royal Navy. He is best known for his historical novels and sea stories, which were widely popular during his lifetime.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the surname Fullerton throughout history. While the name originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Scotland, Ireland, and North America, where it continues to be used today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fullerton

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

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

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

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