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

Kitson, 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 Kitson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kitson in America

Kitson is the 13746th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kitson surname appeared 2,201 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 Kitson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kitson 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 Kitson

The surname Kitson has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cytteson," meaning "kitten's son" or "son of the kitten keeper." This patronymic surname was likely given to individuals whose occupation involved caring for kittens or cats.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may reference the earliest bearers of the Kitson surname. These include Kitteson, Kytteson, and Kittinson, which could be variations or precursors of the modern spelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kitson surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a certain Robert Kytesun is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the surname's existence in northern England during the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Kitesone and Kytteson, as seen in historical records from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Variations in spelling were common during this period due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects.

Sir Thomas Kitson (c. 1485-1540) was a notable bearer of the Kitson surname. He was a wealthy merchant and landowner from Hengrave, Suffolk, who served as Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. His acquisition of the Hengrave estate in 1521 marked the family's rise to prominence.

Another notable individual was Sir Thomas Kitson (1605-1681), a descendant of the previous Sir Thomas Kitson. He was a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War and served as a colonel in the Parliamentarian army.

In the 18th century, the Kitson family established themselves as successful industrialists in Yorkshire. Richard Kitson (1703-1786) founded the Kitson & Company ironworks in Leeds, which later became a prominent engineering firm, producing locomotives and other machinery.

John Kitson (1777-1857), a descendant of Richard Kitson, continued the family's legacy in the ironworks business. He was also a prominent philanthropist and donated funds for the construction of churches and schools in the Leeds area.

James Kitson (1807-1889), another member of the Yorkshire Kitson family, was a successful engineer and industrialist. He played a pivotal role in the development of the railway industry, contributing to the design and construction of locomotives and rolling stock.

While the Kitson surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "cytteson" and the historical records of medieval England, where it first emerged as a patronymic surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kitson

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

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

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

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