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

Luton, 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 Luton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Luton in America

Luton is the 17026th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Luton surname appeared 1,669 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 Luton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Luton 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 Luton

The surname Luton has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Luton in Bedfordshire, which was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Loitone" or "Luitone."

The name Luton is believed to originate from the Old English words "luit," meaning "little," and "tun," meaning "farm" or "settlement." This suggests that the name initially referred to a small farmstead or village. The town of Luton itself grew in importance during the Middle Ages due to its location on the River Lea and its position along the Icknield Way, an ancient trackway.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Luton can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mention a John de Luyton. This suggests that individuals from the town of Luton had already begun using the place name as a hereditary surname by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Luiton, Luytone, and Luyten, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time period. Notable individuals with the surname Luton from this era include Robert Luton, a landowner in Hertfordshire mentioned in records from 1379.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Luton continued to be documented in various historical records. One notable figure was John Luton (1554-1630), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Peterborough from 1619 until his death.

In the 18th century, the surname Luton gained further prominence with individuals like Samuel Luton (1718-1789), a British merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Birmingham. Another notable figure was William Luton (1742-1821), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

The 19th century saw the rise of individuals like Sir John Luton (1829-1912), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Leeds. Another prominent figure was Charles Luton (1856-1934), an English industrialist and founder of the Luton Motor Company, which played a significant role in the early automotive industry.

Throughout history, the surname Luton has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, merchants, architects, politicians, and industrialists. While the name originated in a small English town, it has since spread across the globe, reflecting the mobility and diversity of human populations over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Luton

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

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

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

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