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

Paton, 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 Paton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paton in America

Paton is the 10491st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paton surname appeared 3,059 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Paton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paton 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 Paton

The surname PATON has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "pæd" and "tun," which together mean "path town" or "village by the path." This suggests that the name may have originated as a place name, referring to a settlement located along a well-traveled path or road.

In some early Scottish records, the name is also spelled as PATTON, PATTEN, or PATIN, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common during that time period. The earliest known reference to the name PATON can be found in the Scottish clan records from the late 16th century, where it is mentioned in connection with the Borders region of Scotland.

One notable figure bearing this surname was John Paton, a Scottish missionary and missionary pioneer who lived from 1824 to 1907. He is renowned for his work in establishing Christian missions in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) and for his efforts in promoting the protection of indigenous peoples in the South Pacific.

Another individual of historical significance is Mary Ann Paton, a Scottish artist and illustrator who lived from 1819 to 1864. She is best known for her illustrations in various children's books, including a famous edition of "The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen."

In the literary world, Walter Paton was a Scottish writer and poet who lived from 1828 to 1869. He is remembered for his collection of poems titled "Poems by a Painter," which was published posthumously in 1870.

James Paton, born in 1743 and died in 1806, was a Scottish architect who made significant contributions to the Georgian architectural style in Scotland. Some of his notable works include the Melville Monument in Edinburgh and the Glasgow Assembly Rooms.

Lastly, Sir Joseph Noel Paton was a Scottish artist and sculptor who lived from 1821 to 1901. He is particularly renowned for his paintings depicting scenes from literature and mythology, as well as his work on the decorative schemes for various public buildings in Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paton

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

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

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

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