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

Kelton, 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 Kelton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kelton in America

Kelton is the 11572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kelton surname appeared 2,717 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 Kelton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kelton 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 Kelton

The surname Kelton originated in Scotland, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cald" and "tun," which together mean "cold farm" or "cold settlement." This likely referred to the location of a dwelling in a particularly cold or exposed area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kelton can be found in the Scottish Borders region, where several towns and villages bear this name or variations of it, such as Kelton Hill and Keltonhill. The name is also closely associated with the ancient parish of Kelton, located in what is now Dumfries and Galloway.

In the 13th century, a charter issued by King Alexander II of Scotland mentions a "William de Keltone," indicating the presence of the Kelton surname in the region during that time. This early reference suggests that the name had already been established as a distinct family name by the 13th century.

One notable bearer of the Kelton name was Sir John Kelton, a Scottish knight who served under King Robert the Bruce in the early 14th century. Sir John was present at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where the Scots achieved a decisive victory over the English.

Another historically significant figure was William Kelton, a 16th-century Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Argyll and the Isles from 1560 to 1568. He played a role in the Scottish Reformation and the establishment of Protestantism in Scotland.

In the 17th century, the Kelton surname can be found in various records and documents, including the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. One entry from 1628 mentions a "John Keltoun," who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.

The 18th century saw the rise of a prominent Kelton family in the Scottish Borders region. James Kelton, born in 1726, was a successful merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to play influential roles in the local community for generations.

As the surname spread beyond its Scottish origins, it also appeared in other parts of the British Isles and, later, in North America and other parts of the world. Some notable bearers of the Kelton name include John Kelton, an English actor and playwright in the 19th century, and Elmer Kelton, an American novelist and historian known for his Western fiction, born in 1926.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kelton

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

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

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

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