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

Polty, 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 Polty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Polty in America

Polty is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Polty surname appeared 121 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Polty.

The history of the last name Polty

The surname Polty originated in the northern regions of England, specifically in the county of Northumberland, during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pol" and "ty," which together translate to "pool homestead" or "dwelling near a pool."

The earliest recorded mention of the name Polty can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland County in 1195, where a certain William de Polty is listed as a landowner. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in several medieval manuscripts, including the Assize Rolls of Northumberland in 1256, where a Thomas Polty is mentioned as a witness in a legal dispute over land ownership. This record provides further evidence of the name's prominence in the area during that time period.

The Polty surname is also linked to the village of Polty, located in Northumberland County. It is believed that the name originated as a descriptive name for individuals who resided near or owned land in this particular village.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the Polty surname was Sir John Polty, a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. Sir John was born in 1325 and participated in several battles against the French, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Alnwick, Northumberland. The church register lists the baptism of a child named Robert Polty in 1472, indicating the continued presence of the Polty family in the region.

Another prominent individual with the Polty surname was William Polty, a merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century. Records show that he owned several properties in the town of Morpeth, Northumberland, and was involved in the wool trade.

During the 17th century, the Polty family expanded their presence beyond Northumberland, with members settling in other parts of northern England, such as Yorkshire and Lancashire. One notable figure from this period was Elizabeth Polty, born in 1642, who was a renowned herbalist and midwife in the village of Wensleydale, Yorkshire.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be found in various parts of northern England, with several individuals bearing the Polty surname serving in the British military during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Polty

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

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 Polty 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.

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

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

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