2000
#14,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,848
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.69
Rare Last name
Netherton
A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Netherton in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,131 Americans carry the last name Netherton. That puts it at #15,213 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 160,842 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Netherton 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 Netherton with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 160,842
Census rank
#15,213
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,858 bearers of the surname Netherton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15213th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Netherton, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Netherton
The surname Netherton has its origins in England, dating back to the 11th century. It is a locational name, derived from various places called Netherton, which means "lower town" or "town in the valley." The name is found in several counties across England, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, Worcestershire, and Northumberland.
One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Netherton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a place called "Netretun" in Worcestershire, which is believed to be the origin of the surname.
In the 13th century, the surname Netherton appeared in various records and documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire and the Assize Rolls of Lancashire. These early records showcase the varying spellings of the name, including Nethertown, Netherlon, and Netherton.
One notable figure in history with the surname Netherton was Sir John Netherton, who lived during the 14th century. He was a member of the English gentry and held lands in Northumberland. Another early bearer of the name was William Netherton, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.
In the 16th century, the surname Netherton gained prominence with the birth of Robert Netherton (1543-1609), an English churchman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. Another notable figure from this period was Thomas Netherton (1570-1635), a clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
The 17th century saw the birth of Samuel Netherton (1625-1690), a English Puritan minister and author who published several theological treatises. His contemporary, John Netherton (1635-1705), was a merchant and landowner in Lancashire, known for his extensive property holdings in the region.
In the 18th century, the surname Netherton continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable bearer of the name was William Netherton (1718-1792), a prominent merchant and landowner in Yorkshire, who played a significant role in the local economy and politics.
Throughout its history, the surname Netherton has been associated with various place names and their variations, such as Nether Town, Netherlon, and Netherton itself. The name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including clergy, academics, merchants, and landowners, reflecting the rich tapestry of England's cultural and social fabric.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Netherton
Among Census respondents with the surname Netherton, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Netherton 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 Netherton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 1,729
- Two or more races2.7% · 51
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 48
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 7
- Black or African American0.3% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Netherton
Netherton 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
#14,986
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,972
+124 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Down 249 places
2020
#15,213
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,858
-114 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Down 227 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,737 | 1,848 | 0.69 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,986 | 1,972 | 0.67 | +124 bearers (+6.7%) | Down 249 places |
| 2020 | #15,213 | 1,858 | 0.62 | -114 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 227 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 Netherton 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 | #14,986 | #15,213 | -1.5% |
| Count | 1,972 | 1,858 | -5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.67 | 0.62 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Netherton bearers went from 1,972 to 1,858 (-5.8% change). The surname moved down 227 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,986 to #15,213.
FAQ
Netherton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Netherton?
Name Census estimates that about 2,131 living Americans carry the surname Netherton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 160,842 residents.
How common is Netherton?
Netherton ranks #15,213 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 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 1,858 people with the surname Netherton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 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 Netherton.
Has Netherton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Netherton went from 1,972 recorded bearers to 1,858. That is a decrease of 114 (-5.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,986 to #15,213.
What does the Census say about the background of Netherton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Netherton, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Netherton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (1,729 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Netherton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Netherton (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 Netherton mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Netherton in England. 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 Netherton (0.62 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 common is the surname Netherton?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Netherton on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.