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

Girton, 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 Girton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Girton in America

Girton is the 16926th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Girton surname appeared 1,681 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 Girton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Girton 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 Girton

The surname Girton has its origins in England, with records of the name dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the place name Girton, a village located near the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire. This place name is thought to come from the Old English words "gyr" meaning "muddy" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement," referring to a settlement located on muddy or marshy ground.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Girton can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Cambridgeshire, compiled in 1273. This record lists several individuals with the surname, indicating that the name was already established in the region by that time. The Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327 also contain references to individuals bearing the Girton surname.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in various records, including the Parish Registers of Girton, which mention several individuals with the name. One notable figure from this period was William Girton, who was born in Girton around 1550 and served as a church warden in the village.

Moving into the 17th century, the Girton surname can be found in the Hearth Tax records of Cambridgeshire from 1674, which listed households and their taxable hearths. One entry mentions a John Girton residing in the village of Girton.

In the 18th century, the surname gained some prominence with the birth of Mary Girton (1719-1805), a notable philanthropist and benefactor of Girton College, Cambridge. This college, founded in 1869, was one of the first residential colleges for women in England and was named in her honor.

Other notable individuals with the Girton surname include John Girton (1773-1841), a British soldier who served in the Napoleonic Wars; Elizabeth Girton (1826-1891), an English novelist and writer; and William Girton (1870-1945), a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in the Cambridgeshire area.

While the surname Girton is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history rooted in the English countryside and the village from which it derived its name. The name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from soldiers and writers to philanthropists and architects, all contributing to the tapestry of English heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Girton

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

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

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

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