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

Rayton, 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 Rayton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rayton in America

Rayton is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rayton surname appeared 178 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 Rayton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rayton 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 Rayton

The surname RAYTON has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ræd" meaning "counsel" or "advice" and "tun" meaning "town" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived in a town or settlement where council meetings or advisory gatherings took place.

The earliest known record of the name RAYTON appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379, where a Robert Rayton is listed as a resident of the village of Doncaster. This provides evidence that the name was already established in northern England by the late 14th century.

In the 15th century, the name RAYTON is found in various manorial records and court rolls across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Notable examples include a John Rayton mentioned in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1428, and a William Rayton recorded in the Louth Parish Registers of 1487.

The RAYTON surname is also connected to several place names in England, such as Rayton in Shropshire and Rayton Woodside in North Yorkshire. These locations likely derived their names from the Old English root words, further suggesting the surname's origins as a locational name.

Prominent individuals with the surname RAYTON include:

1. Sir William Rayton (c. 1540-1612), an English landowner and member of Parliament for Appleby during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. John Rayton (1587-1655), an English clergyman and author of several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Sacraments" (1628).
3. Elizabeth Rayton (1625-1702), a notable Quaker preacher and author who traveled extensively throughout England and the American colonies, spreading the Quaker faith.
4. Thomas Rayton (1718-1792), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral.
5. Henry Rayton (1805-1879), a distinguished English architect known for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House and the former National Gallery.

While the RAYTON surname is not among the most common in England, its historical presence can be traced through various records and notable figures over several centuries, reflecting its deep-rooted origins in the country's linguistic and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rayton

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

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

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

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