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

Gayton, 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 Gayton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gayton in America

Gayton is the 12186th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gayton surname appeared 2,557 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 Gayton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gayton 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 Gayton

The surname Gayton has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Gayton in Norfolk, England. The name itself is thought to come from the Old English words "gat" meaning "goat" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement," suggesting that the area may have been known for its goat farming or grazing.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Gayton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Gatuna" in Norfolk. This historical record provides evidence of the name's long-standing presence in the region.

In the 13th century, records show individuals with the surname Gayton living in various parts of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. One notable figure from this period was John de Gayton, a landowner and member of the gentry in Norfolk, who was born around 1260.

During the 14th century, the Gayton family gained prominence in Norfolk, with several members holding positions of authority and influence. Sir John Gayton (c. 1330-1399) was a prominent knight and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Norfolk in the latter part of the century.

In the 16th century, the Gayton surname spread further across England, with individuals bearing the name appearing in records from counties such as Yorkshire and Gloucestershire. One notable figure from this period was Sir Thomas Gayton (c. 1520-1590), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Norfolk.

As the centuries progressed, the Gayton name continued to be associated with various notable individuals. In the 17th century, Edmund Gayton (c. 1609-1666) was a writer and clergyman known for his satirical works, including "Pleasant Notes upon Don Quixote" and "Festivous Notes on the Plays of Ben Jonson."

Another prominent figure bearing the Gayton surname was Sir John Gayton (c. 1640-1702), who served as a Member of Parliament for Norfolk and was appointed as a Justice of the Peace in the late 17th century.

Throughout its history, the surname Gayton has maintained strong ties to its geographical origins in Norfolk, with many families tracing their roots back to the village of the same name. While the name has spread across England over the centuries, its distinctive locational roots and associations with the region have endured.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gayton

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!