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

Leighton, 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 Leighton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leighton in America

Leighton is the 4222nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leighton surname appeared 8,399 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Leighton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leighton 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 Leighton

The surname Leighton has its origins in England, tracing back to the 11th century. It is a locational surname derived from various places named "Leighton" or "Leyghton" throughout the country. The name itself originates from the Old English words "leac" meaning "meadow" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "town."

During the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, many Norman-French nobles were granted lands across the country, including areas now known as Leighton. The surname likely emerged as a way to identify individuals from these locations. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Leyton, Leiton, and Leton.

One of the earliest documented references to the surname Leighton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The book mentions individuals with the surname Leighton holding lands in various counties, including Shropshire and Huntingdonshire.

In the 13th century, records show a Sir William Leighton of Stretton in Shropshire, who was a prominent figure in the area. Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir Edward Leighton, a member of the English Parliament in 1332.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Leighton family gained prominence in Shropshire, with several members holding positions of influence. One notable figure was Sir Edward Leighton (1565-1622), a member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Shropshire.

In the realm of literature, the surname is associated with Robert Leighton (1611-1684), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and Archbishop of Glasgow, known for his influential writings on Christian theology and spirituality.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Leighton (1604-1672), an English politician and landowner who served as a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.

The surname Leighton has also been carried by notable figures in more recent history, such as Frederic Leighton (1830-1896), a renowned English painter and President of the Royal Academy, and Sir Ralph Leighton (1886-1962), a British soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and received the Victoria Cross for his bravery during World War I.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leighton

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

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

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

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