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

Pelton, 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 Pelton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pelton in America

Pelton is the 5980th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pelton surname appeared 5,753 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Pelton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pelton 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 Pelton

The surname Pelton is of English origin, deriving from the place name Pelton, which refers to several locations in the counties of Durham and Northumberland. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "pell" and "tun," meaning "pool" and "farm" or "settlement," respectively.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Pelton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from 1268, where a person named Gilbert de Pelton is listed. This suggests that the name was already established and associated with the geographical locations by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, records show a John de Pelton being mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327. This indicates that the surname had spread beyond its initial geographic origins and was being used more widely across northern England.

The Pelton surname is also found in the Calendar of Patent Rolls from 1384, which references a Robert de Pelton receiving a pardon from King Richard II. This historical document provides evidence of the surname's use during the late medieval period.

One notable individual with the Pelton surname was Sir John Pelton (1506-1573), an English courtier who served as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King Henry VIII and later as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another influential figure was Sir Thomas Pelton (1548-1627), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Cumberland and held various positions in local government.

In the realm of literature, the surname Pelton is associated with John Pelton (1613-1700), an English writer and clergyman who authored several religious works, including "The Divine Trophies" and "The New Clerk's Guide."

During the 18th century, William Pelton (1725-1792) was a notable English architect credited with designing several buildings in London, including the Foundling Hospital and the Church of St. George in the East.

Moving into the 19th century, John Pelton (1809-1889) was an English author and historian who wrote extensively about the history of Sussex, publishing works such as "The Antiquarian Repertory" and "Illustrations of the Literary History of Sussex."

These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the Pelton surname, which can be traced back to its origins in the northern counties of England, particularly Durham and Northumberland, and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pelton

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

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

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

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