2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Multon
A variant of Mutton, referring to someone connected to the trade or selling of mutton or sheep.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Multon. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Multon 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 Multon with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Multon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Multon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (6.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Multon
The surname Multon has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "mouton," which means "sheep" or "mutton." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been involved in the rearing or trading of sheep.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Multon surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, the name is spelled as "Muleton."
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Multon family held significant land and property in various parts of England, including Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Northumberland. Several members of the family were prominent figures in the political and military affairs of the time.
One notable bearer of the Multon surname was Thomas de Multon (c. 1230-1294), a powerful English baron and military commander who served under King Henry III and King Edward I. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Wales and participated in several military campaigns against the Scots.
Another distinguished figure with the Multon surname was John de Multon (c. 1275-1321), who served as Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland and was involved in various border conflicts with Scotland during the reign of King Edward II.
In the 14th century, the Multon family held lands and properties in the village of Multon, located in the county of Suffolk. This place name likely derived from the family's surname and may have contributed to its continued use and prominence in the region.
Throughout history, the Multon surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Multon Abbey in Yorkshire, which was founded in the 12th century by the Multon family.
Other notable individuals with the Multon surname include:
1. William de Multon (c. 1240-1312), an English nobleman and military commander who served under King Edward I.
2. Robert de Multon (fl. 1300-1330), a member of the English Parliament representing Yorkshire.
3. Elizabeth Multon (c. 1320-1390), a wealthy heiress and landowner in Lincolnshire.
4. Henry Multon (c. 1450-1510), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of York.
5. George Multon (c. 1570-1640), an English merchant and explorer who traveled to the East Indies and the Americas.
While the Multon surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Moulton, Moulten, and Molton, its origins can be traced back to the Old French word "mouton" and its association with the sheep and wool trade in medieval England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Multon
Among Census respondents with the surname Multon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (6.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Multon 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 Multon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.6% · 95
- Black or African American6.3% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino6.3% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Multon
Multon 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-13 bearers (-11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,503 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+9 bearers (+8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,767 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.3%) | Down 23,503 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.8%) | Up 9,767 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 Multon 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 | #158,432 | #148,665 | 6.2% |
| Count | 102 | 111 | 8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Multon bearers went from 102 to 111 (+8.8% change). The surname moved up 9,767 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #148,665.
FAQ
Multon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Multon?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Multon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Multon?
Multon ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Multon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Multon.
Has Multon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Multon went from 102 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 9 (+8.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Multon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Multon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (6.3%). 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 Multon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.6% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Multon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.6%), Black (6.3%), Hispanic (6.3%). 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 Multon (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 Multon mean?
A variant of Mutton, referring to someone connected to the trade or selling of mutton or sheep. 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 Multon (0.04 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 are called Multon?
Find out how many people have the surname Multon on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.