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

Monteith, 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 Monteith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Monteith in America

Monteith is the 10346th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Monteith surname appeared 3,114 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 Monteith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Monteith 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 Monteith

The surname Monteith is of Scottish origin and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is believed to derive from the phrase 'Monadh-na-tiobairt,' which translates to 'the moor of the well' or 'the moss of the well.'

The name is closely associated with the town of Monteith, located in the historic county of Perthshire, Scotland. The earliest recorded instance of this place name dates back to the 12th century when it was written as 'Munythfu.' Over time, the spelling evolved to 'Monteith,' reflecting the pronunciation of the local Gaelic dialect.

The Monteith family played a significant role in Scottish history. One of the earliest documented members was Sir Walter Monteith, who lived in the 13th century and held the position of Seneschal (Steward) of Strathearn. The Monteith clan was influential in the region and their name is associated with several notable events and landmarks.

In the 14th century, the name Monteith appeared in the Ragman Rolls, which were essentially a series of homage rolls that recorded the names of Scottish landholders who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This historical document provides an early written record of the surname's existence.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Monteith surname. One of the most famous was Robert Monteith (1786-1855), a Scottish architect and engineer who designed several prominent buildings, including the Regency Theatre in London and the Royal Exchange in Glasgow.

Another prominent figure was Henry Monteith (1695-1775), a Scottish clergyman and author who served as the Minister of Longformacus in Berwickshire. He is best known for his work, 'The Theater of Mortality,' which explored themes of death and mortality.

In the 18th century, Sir Henry Monteith (1735-1808) was a Scottish soldier and politician who served as the Governor of Portsmouth and represented the constituency of Selkirkshire in the British Parliament.

More recently, Robert Monteith (1914-2008) was a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous television shows and films, including the popular series 'Doctor Who' and the film 'Scrooge' (1970).

Another notable individual bearing this surname is Alastair Monteith (born 1939), a Scottish actor and playwright known for his roles in television series such as 'Taggart' and 'Hamish Macbeth.'

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Monteith

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

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

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

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