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

Minto, 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 Minto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Minto in America

Minto is the 16071st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Minto surname appeared 1,802 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 Minto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Minto 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 Minto

The surname Minto is of Scottish origin, deriving from the lands of Minto in Roxburghshire. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century and is thought to be derived from the Old English word "mynyt," meaning "at the horse's height," referring to a hill or small mountain.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where Walter de Minto is mentioned as swearing fealty to King Edward I of England. The Minto family was a prominent Scottish border clan and held significant lands and power in the region.

In the 14th century, the Mintos were granted the lands of Minto by King Robert the Bruce, and the family's influence continued to grow. Sir Walter de Minto, who lived in the late 14th century, was a notable figure and served as a diplomat and ambassador for the Scottish crown.

The Minto name is also associated with the town of Minto in Roxburghshire, which was named after the family's ancestral lands. The town's name was originally spelled as "Myntow" in the 16th century, reflecting the Old English origins of the surname.

One of the most famous bearers of the Minto name was Sir Gilbert Elliot, 1st Earl of Minto (1751-1814), a British politician and diplomat who served as Governor-General of India from 1807 to 1813. He was instrumental in securing British control over the Indian subcontinent and played a significant role in the expansion of the British Empire.

Another notable figure was Sir Walter Minto (1865-1923), a British diplomat and politician who served as Viceroy of India from 1905 to 1910. He was instrumental in the partition of Bengal and played a crucial role in shaping British policies in India during a turbulent period.

The Minto name has also been associated with other notable individuals, such as Sir Hew Minto (1549-1635), a Scottish courtier and politician who served as Lord Privy Seal of Scotland, and James Minto (1810-1891), a Scottish engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines.

Overall, the surname Minto has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Borders and has been carried by numerous influential individuals throughout the centuries, reflecting the family's significant presence and impact in both Scotland and the British Empire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Minto

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

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

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

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