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

Holt, 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 Holt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Holt in America

Holt is the 358th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Holt surname appeared 87,531 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 30 people would have the surname Holt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Holt 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 Holt

The surname Holt is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the medieval period. It is a topographic name, derived from the Old English word "holt," which means a wood or a grove. The name likely originated as a way to identify someone who lived near or in a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Holt can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the surname Holt, indicating that the name was already established in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

The surname Holt has its roots in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire, where the name was prevalent during the Middle Ages. It was often associated with specific locations or place names that incorporated the word "holt," such as Holton, Holtby, or Holcombe.

One of the earliest documented bearers of the surname Holt was Sir Thomas Holt, who lived in the 14th century and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1349. Another notable figure with this surname was Sir John Holt (1642-1710), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of England from 1689 to 1709.

In the realm of literature, the name Holt has been associated with several notable figures. One such individual was John Holt (1642-1708), an English writer and philosopher who was a prominent advocate of religious tolerance and freedom of expression. Another literary figure with this surname was Henry Holt (1840-1926), an American publisher who founded the publishing house Henry Holt and Company.

The surname Holt has also been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields. One example is Sir John Holt (1887-1960), a British civil engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. Another notable bearer of the name is Benjamin Holt (1849-1920), an American inventor and entrepreneur who pioneered the development of the first practical track-laying tractor, which became known as the Caterpillar tractor.

While the surname Holt has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and the diaspora of English-speaking populations. Today, the name can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Holt

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

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

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

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