Maltby
A locational surname derived from any of several places named Maltby in England.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,022 Americans carry the last name Maltby. That puts it at #16,475 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.59 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 169,513 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maltby 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
2.0K
1 in 169,513
Census rank
#16,475
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,744 bearers of the surname Maltby in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.59 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 16475th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maltby, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Maltby
The surname Maltby has its origins in England and can be traced back to at least the 12th century. It is a locational surname, deriving from the place name Maltby, a village in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The name itself is likely derived from the Old Norse words 'meltr' meaning 'sandy' and 'by' meaning 'farmstead' or 'village', suggesting that the original settlement was located on sandy soil.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Maltby is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Maltebi'. This provides evidence that the village and surname existed during the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century.
In the 13th century, the surname is recorded in various documents with slightly different spellings, such as 'Maltebi', 'Malteby', and 'Maltebye'. The earliest known bearer of the name was Richard de Malteby, who was documented in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls in 1219.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Maltby. One of the most prominent was Sir Nicholas Maltby (1558-1629), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for the borough of Grantham in Lincolnshire. Another was William Maltby (1763-1845), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Buckden in Huntingdonshire.
In the 18th century, John Maltby (1739-1817) was a renowned English horticulturist and botanist who specialized in the cultivation of exotic plants. He served as the curator of the Cambridge Botanic Garden and is credited with introducing several new plant species to Britain.
The surname also has connections to the military, with Major General Thomas Maltby (1781-1853) being a notable figure. He served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and later became the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Wight.
Additionally, Benjamin Maltby (1805-1860) was a prominent English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He worked as a professor at the University of Cambridge and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1838.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maltby
Among Census respondents with the surname Maltby, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Maltby 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 Maltby surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2%
- Hispanic or Latino2.9%
- Two or more races1.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Maltby 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 | #16,475 | #16,475 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,744 | 1,744 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.59 | 0.59 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Maltby bearers went from 1,744 to 1,744 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #16,475 to #16,475.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Maltby
FAQ
Maltby surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Maltby?
The surname Maltby holds position #16,475 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,022 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.59 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Maltby surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maltby, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). 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.