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

Lawton, 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 Lawton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lawton in America

Lawton is the 2630th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lawton surname appeared 13,713 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Lawton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lawton 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 Lawton

The surname Lawton is of English origin, with its roots traceable back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name "Lawton" in Cheshire, England. The place name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning hill and "tun" meaning settlement or enclosure, indicating a settlement on a hill.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, the place name "Lauton" is mentioned, which is believed to be an early spelling of Lawton. This suggests that the surname Lawton was likely in use by the 11th century, as locational surnames were commonly adopted by those who migrated from their place of origin.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Lawton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, which mentions a Richard de Lauton. This provides evidence of the surname's use in the late 12th century. Additionally, the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire from 1260 reference a Richard de Lauton, further solidifying the surname's connection to the Cheshire area.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the surname have been documented, including Lauton, Lawton, Laueton, and Lauton. Individuals bearing this surname have been documented across various regions of England, particularly in Cheshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Lawton include:

1. John Lawton (c. 1615-1665), an English soldier and colonist who served as a commander in the Parliamentary Army during the English Civil War and later emigrated to New England.

2. William Lawton (c. 1737-1807), an American military officer who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

3. Henry Ware Lawton (1843-1899), a highly decorated American military officer who served in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War.

4. Wilbur Lawton (1918-1992), an American actor known for his roles in television shows and films such as "The Untouchables" and "Papillon."

5. Lena Lawton (1948-2008), a British actress and singer who appeared in numerous stage productions and television shows, including "EastEnders" and "Grange Hill."

While the surname Lawton has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, often through immigration and settlement patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lawton

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

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

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

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