Laughton
Habitational name from a place so named in Yorkshire, England.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,200 Americans carry the last name Laughton. That puts it at #24,325 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 285,629 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Laughton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.2K
1 in 285,629
Census rank
#24,325
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,031 bearers of the surname Laughton in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 24325th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Laughton, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Laughton
The surname Laughton originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from an Old English place name. The name likely comes from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning hill or mound, and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement, referring to a settlement on a hill.
The earliest known recording of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lohton." This suggests the name was established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. Over time, various spellings emerged, including Loughton, Lowton, and the modern Laughton.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Laurence de Laughton, who lived in Yorkshire during the 13th century. Another early bearer was Robert de Loughton, mentioned in records from Lincolnshire in 1273.
The name Laughton is associated with several notable figures throughout history. Sir John Laughton (c.1616-1689) was an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1668. John Knox Laughton (1830-1915) was a British naval historian and teacher at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
Charles Laughton (1899-1962) was a renowned English stage and film actor known for his roles in movies like "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." He was nominated for several Academy Awards and won the award for Best Actor for his performance in "The Private Life of Henry VIII" in 1933.
Another prominent bearer was Sir John Laughton (1857-1933), a British naval historian and professor at King's College London. He wrote extensively on naval history and was knighted in 1919 for his contributions to the field.
John Laughton (1830-1876) was an English engraver and etcher, known for his landscapes and architectural works. He was elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1869.
The surname Laughton continues to be found predominantly in England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire, where it likely originated from the place names it derived from.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Laughton
Among Census respondents with the surname Laughton, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Laughton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Laughton surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.9%
- Black or African American5.2%
- Two or more races3.6%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Laughton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,325 | #24,325 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,031 | 1,031 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Laughton bearers went from 1,031 to 1,031 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #24,325 to #24,325.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Laughton
FAQ
Laughton surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Laughton?
The surname Laughton holds position #24,325 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,200 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Laughton surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Laughton, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.