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

Postlethwaite, 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 Postlethwaite surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Postlethwaite in America

Postlethwaite is the 57234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Postlethwaite surname appeared 356 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 Postlethwaite.

We can also compare 2010 data for Postlethwaite 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 Postlethwaite

The surname Postlethwaite originates from the northern English counties of Lancashire and Westmorland, now part of Cumbria. It is derived from the Old English words "post" meaning a post or stake, and "læt" meaning a barn or outhouse, combined with the Old Norse word "thveit" meaning a meadow or clearing. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a barn or outbuilding in a meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Postelthwayt in the Lancashire Inquisitions of 1311. Other early spellings include Postillwhate in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1486, and Postilwhaytt in the Lancashire Wills records of 1554. The name is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, listed as Postelcveit in the lands of the Count of Mortain.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Adam de Postlethwaite, who was recorded as holding lands in Kendal, Westmorland in 1275. Another early figure was John Postlethwaite, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived from around 1420 to 1485.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain James Postlethwaite fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was killed in action at the Battle of Naseby in 1645. In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was James Postlethwaite (1731-1799), a renowned architect and engineer who worked on projects such as the Eddystone Lighthouse and the Bridgewater Canal.

In the literary world, the English poet and writer Thomas Postlethwaite (1833-1913) was a respected figure in his time, known for works such as "Haunted Hearts" and "The Kingdom of the Mind." Additionally, the English actor Pete Postlethwaite (1945-2011) gained international acclaim for his performances in films like "In the Name of the Father" and "The Usual Suspects."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Postlethwaite

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

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

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

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