Newton
An English toponymic surname derived from places meaning "new town" or "new farmstead."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 86,100 Americans carry the last name Newton. That puts it at #443 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 25.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,981 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Newton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
86K
1 in 3,981
Census rank
#443
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
25.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
74K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 74,092 bearers of the surname Newton in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 25.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 443rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Newton, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Black (18.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Newton
The surname Newton is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "niwe" meaning new and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement, essentially describing a new town or village. This name likely originated in the 11th century during the Norman conquest of England.
The earliest recorded instances of the Newton surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners and settlements across England following the Norman conquest. Entries for places like Newton in Cheshire, Newton in Lancashire, and Newton in Yorkshire all appear in this historical record.
In the 12th century, the surname began appearing in official records, such as the Pipe Rolls of 1166 which listed a Richard de Neuton in Nottinghamshire. The spelling variations at the time included Neuton, Neweton, and Newetoun, reflecting the evolving nature of the name.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Newton surname was Sir John Newton, a 14th-century English landowner and knight who served as a Member of Parliament for Lancashire in 1322. Another notable figure was Thomas Newton (c.1542-1607), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Bishop of Bristol.
Isaac Newton (1642-1727), the renowned English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, and natural philosopher, is undoubtedly the most famous bearer of the Newton surname. His groundbreaking work on the laws of motion, universal gravitation, and the development of calculus has had a profound impact on scientific advancement.
Other notable individuals with the Newton surname include Alfred Newton (1829-1907), an English zoologist and ornithologist, and Huey P. Newton (1942-1989), the co-founder and leader of the Black Panther Party, a prominent African-American revolutionary socialist organization.
The Newton surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Newton Abbot in Devon, Newton-le-Willows in Merseyside, and Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, further emphasizing its deep roots in the country's history and geography.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Newton
Among Census respondents with the surname Newton, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Black (18.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Newton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Newton surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.7%
- Black or African American18.4%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- Two or more races2.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Newton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #443 | #443 | 0.0% |
| Count | 74,092 | 74,092 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 25.12 | 25.12 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Newton bearers went from 74,092 to 74,092 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #443 to #443.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Newton
FAQ
Newton surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Newton?
The surname Newton holds position #443 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 86,100 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 25.12 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Newton surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Newton, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Black (18.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.