2000
#9,957
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,990
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.11
Rare Last name
Monteith
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place near Ayr, likely meaning "moor by the River Teith."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,332 Americans carry the last name Monteith. That puts it at #10,529 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 102,867 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Monteith surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Monteith with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 102,867
Census rank
#10,529
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,906 bearers of the surname Monteith in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10529th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Monteith, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.'
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Monteith
Among Census respondents with the surname Monteith, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Monteith bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Monteith surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.8% · 2,494
- Black or African American6.0% · 175
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 100
- Two or more races3.4% · 100
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Monteith
Monteith appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,346
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,114
+124 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 1.06
Rank movement Down 389 places
2020
#10,529
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,906
-208 bearers (-6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.97
Rank movement Down 183 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,957 | 2,990 | 1.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,346 | 3,114 | 1.06 | +124 bearers (+4.1%) | Down 389 places |
| 2020 | #10,529 | 2,906 | 0.97 | -208 bearers (-6.7%) | Down 183 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Monteith surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,346 | #10,529 | -1.8% |
| Count | 3,114 | 2,906 | -6.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.06 | 0.97 | -8.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Monteith bearers went from 3,114 to 2,906 (-6.7% change). The surname moved down 183 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,346 to #10,529.
FAQ
Monteith surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Monteith?
Name Census estimates that about 3,332 living Americans carry the surname Monteith. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 102,867 residents.
How common is Monteith?
Monteith ranks #10,529 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,906 people with the surname Monteith. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,332), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.97 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Monteith.
Has Monteith become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Monteith went from 3,114 recorded bearers to 2,906. That is a decrease of 208 (-6.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,346 to #10,529.
What does the Census say about the background of Monteith?
Among Census respondents with the surname Monteith, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Hispanic (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Monteith in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.8% (2,494 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Monteith appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.8%), Black (6.0%), Hispanic (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Monteith (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Monteith mean?
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place near Ayr, likely meaning "moor by the River Teith." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Monteith (0.97 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Monteith?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.