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

Garton, 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 Garton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Garton in America

Garton is the 9493rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Garton surname appeared 3,425 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 Garton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Garton 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 Garton

The surname Garton is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the place name "Garton-on-the-Wolds" in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The place name itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "gara" meaning "a triangular piece of land" and "tun" meaning "an enclosure or settlement."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gartone." This reference suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including "de Gartone" and "Gartun," reflecting the evolution of its spelling over time. Notable individuals bearing this surname from this period include William de Gartone, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1260.

In the 14th century, the spelling "Garton" became more prevalent, as evidenced by records such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which listed individuals like Johannes Garton and Willelmus Garton.

As the surname spread beyond its place of origin, it also became associated with other locations, such as Garton-on-the-Wolds in Lincolnshire and Garton in Teesdale, County Durham. This led to variations like "Garton-on-the-Wolds" and "Garton-in-Teesdale" being used to distinguish between different branches of the family.

One notable figure bearing the Garton surname was Sir Nathaniel Garton (1581-1641), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for Thetford in the early 17th century. Another prominent individual was John Garton (1682-1758), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

In the 18th century, the Garton family continued to play a role in various fields, with individuals like Samuel Garton (1741-1820), a respected Baptist minister and author, and William Garton (1764-1842), a successful businessman and philanthropist in Leeds.

As the centuries passed, the Garton surname spread to different parts of the world, carried by those who emigrated from England. However, its origins can be traced back to the small village of Garton-on-the-Wolds in Yorkshire, where the name first took root many centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Garton

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

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

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

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