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

Melton, 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 Melton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melton in America

Melton is the 688th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melton surname appeared 50,069 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 17 people would have the surname Melton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Melton 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 Melton

The surname Melton has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged in the late 11th century or early 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "mele" and "tun," which together mean "mill town" or "town with a mill." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who lived in a settlement with a mill or were associated with the milling trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Melton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions several places with the name "Meltune" or similar spellings, indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in various parts of England during that time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "de Meltona" and "de Melton," reflecting the practice of using locational surnames to identify individuals. This practice was common among the nobility and gentry, who often took their surnames from the places where they held land or property.

One notable figure bearing the surname Melton was William de Melton, who served as the Archbishop of York from 1317 to 1340. He played a significant role in the political and religious affairs of England during the reign of Edward II and Edward III.

Another prominent individual with the surname Melton was John Melton, a 15th-century English philosopher and theologian. He was a fellow of Oxford University and served as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1437 to 1443.

In the 16th century, the name Melton was associated with several notable figures, including Sir William Melton (c. 1535-1599), who served as the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1592 to 1599.

During the 17th century, the name gained prominence in various parts of England, and one notable individual bearing the surname was Edward Melton (1622-1676), an English Puritan minister and religious writer.

The 18th century saw the rise of Thomas Melton (1713-1782), an English composer and organist who made significant contributions to the music of the Anglican Church.

These examples illustrate the long history and widespread presence of the surname Melton across various regions of England and its association with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melton

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

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

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

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