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

Houghton, 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 Houghton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Houghton in America

Houghton is the 3228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Houghton surname appeared 11,184 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Houghton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Houghton 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 Houghton

The surname Houghton originates from England and dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "hoh" meaning a ridge or heel-shaped hill, and "tun" meaning a settlement or enclosure. The name literally refers to a settlement situated on or near a ridge or hill.

Houghton is found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Norfolk, and Yorkshire. It is believed that the name was first recorded as a place name before becoming a surname. The earliest known record of the place name Houghton dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several locations with variations of the name, such as Hoctun, Houghton, and Hohtun.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Houghton is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1175, which mentions a person named William de Houghton. In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which lists a Robert de Houghton.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Houghton. One of the most prominent figures was Michael Houghton (1629-1681), an English Puritan minister and writer who published several works on religious subjects. Another notable bearer of the name was John Houghton (c. 1487-1535), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the English Reformation for denying the supremacy of Henry VIII over the Church.

In the realm of science, Sir Douglas Houghton (1898-1987) was a British chemist who made significant contributions to the study of liquid crystals and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963. Another notable figure was William Edward Houghton (1828-1895), an English meteorologist who made important contributions to the study of atmospheric science and weather forecasting.

A more recent individual with the surname Houghton was Henry Houghton (1823-1909), an American publisher and founder of the Houghton Mifflin publishing company, which has played a significant role in the publishing industry since its establishment in 1832.

While the surname Houghton has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. However, its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon settlements in England, where the name originated as a locational identifier for those living near a ridge or hill.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Houghton

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

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

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

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