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

Nanton, 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 Nanton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nanton in America

Nanton is the 52851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nanton surname appeared 392 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Nanton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nanton 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 Nanton

The surname Nanton has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "nan" and "tun," meaning "valley" and "town" or "settlement," respectively. This suggests that the name likely originated as a topographic description for someone who lived in or near a valley settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where it is spelled "Nauntun." This document mentions a landowner named Walter de Nauntun, indicating that the name was already well-established in the region during that period.

The Nanton surname also appears in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Naunton." These rolls were a survey of landholdings and property rights commissioned by King Edward I, further solidifying the name's presence in English history.

Interestingly, the surname shares similarities with the place name "Naunton," a village in Gloucestershire, which was recorded as "Naventon" in the Domesday Book of 1086. While there is no definitive link between the surname and the village, it is possible that the name originated from this location or a similar settlement.

One notable individual bearing the Nanton surname was Sir Robert Nanton (c. 1467-1541), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Henry VIII. Another was John Nanton (1633-1697), an English Puritan clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the Nanton family established itself in Kent, where William Nanton (1735-1808) served as a prominent landowner and member of the gentry. His son, also named William Nanton (1772-1846), was a respected clergyman and author of several religious texts.

Across the Atlantic, the Nanton surname can be found in early colonial records of North America. One example is John Nanton (1608-1677), an English immigrant who settled in Virginia and became a prominent landowner and planter.

Throughout its history, the Nanton surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, lawyers, and authors, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and professions of those who have carried this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nanton

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!