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

Patton, 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 Patton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Patton in America

Patton is the 506th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Patton surname appeared 66,293 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 22 people would have the surname Patton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Patton 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 Patton

The surname PATTON is an English habitational name derived from various places named Patton in England, such as those found in Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words 'pætt' meaning path and 'tun' meaning enclosure or settlement, essentially translating to 'settlement by the path'.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Patone' and 'Patona'. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

The PATTON surname has been traced back to various regions in England, with some of the earliest recorded examples coming from Yorkshire. In the 13th century, records show individuals named Adam de Patton and Willelmus de Patton residing in Yorkshire.

Another notable early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert de Patton from Shropshire. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname PATTON have achieved notable recognition. One of the most famous was George Smith PATTON (1885-1945), the American general who played a pivotal role in World War II and is best known for his leadership of the Seventh United States Army in the successful 1944 invasion of Normandy.

Other notable individuals include James PATTON (1692-1755), an Irish-American pioneer and settler in Pennsylvania, and John PATTON (1749-1804), an American Revolutionary War soldier and politician who served as the second Governor of Virginia.

In the literary world, the name is associated with Emily Lewis PATTON (1873-1960), an American writer and editor known for her works on literature and history. Additionally, Charles PATTON (1764-1837) was a British naval officer and explorer who conducted several expeditions in the Pacific Ocean.

While the PATTON surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Patton

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

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

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

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