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

Heaton, 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 Heaton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heaton in America

Heaton is the 2606th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heaton surname appeared 13,834 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Heaton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heaton 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 Heaton

The surname Heaton originates from England and can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era, where it was derived from the Old English words "hēa" meaning "high" and "tūn" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement". It is believed to have been a locational name, referring to someone who lived in or came from a high or elevated town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Heaton appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Hetun", referring to a settlement in the county of Lancashire.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Heton, Heyton, and Heytown, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling at the time. The name was also associated with several place names, including Heaton Norris in Cheshire, Heaton Moor in Greater Manchester, and Heaton in Newcastle upon Tyne.

One notable individual with the surname Heaton was John Heaton (1497-1573), an English Catholic priest who served as the Archbishop of York from 1555 to 1573. He played a significant role in the Catholic Reformation during the reign of Queen Mary I.

Another prominent figure was Sir Benjamin Heaton (1808-1876), a British industrialist and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was a prominent supporter of education and was involved in the establishment of several schools and colleges.

In the literary world, James Heaton (1809-1876) was a notable English poet and writer. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "Lays of the Loom", which depicted the lives and struggles of textile workers in Lancashire.

Mary Heaton Vorse (1874-1966) was an American writer and journalist known for her works on labor issues and social justice. She was a prominent figure in the literary scene during the early 20th century and was a co-founder of the Provincetown Players, a renowned theater group.

Finally, Sir John Heaton (1899-1967) was a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Cyprus from 1956 to 1957, during a turbulent period of the island's history when it was transitioning from British rule to independence.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Heaton, which has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon era and has been associated with various place names and settlements across England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heaton

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

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

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

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