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

Roughton, 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 Roughton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roughton in America

Roughton is the 21068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roughton surname appeared 1,247 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 Roughton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roughton 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 Roughton

The surname Roughton has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. It is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century as a locational name, derived from the village of Roughton, located near the town of Cromer.

The earliest known written record of the name Roughton dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a collection of historical records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. In these records, the name is spelled as 'Roughton' and 'Rughton'.

Roughton is thought to be derived from the Old English words 'ruh' and 'tun', which together mean 'rough or rugged village'. This likely refers to the rugged terrain or geographical features of the area where the village was established.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Roughton was John de Roughton, who was mentioned in the Norfolk Feet of Fines (legal records) in the year 1312. Another notable figure was William Roughton, a prominent landowner in Norfolk during the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Roughton family was well-established in the village of Roughton and surrounding areas. Thomas Roughton (1505-1572) was a respected landowner and member of the local gentry, while his son, Robert Roughton (1542-1611), served as a magistrate and played an active role in local affairs.

During the 17th century, the name Roughton appeared in various historical records, including the parish registers of Norfolk. One notable individual from this period was John Roughton (1623-1682), a Puritan minister who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Roughton.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several members of the Roughton family made notable contributions in various fields. Robert Roughton (1735-1810) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Norfolk, while Thomas Roughton (1792-1872) was a successful merchant and philanthropist in the city of Norwich.

Throughout its history, the surname Roughton has maintained a strong presence in the county of Norfolk, particularly in the village from which it originated. While not a widespread name, it has been carried by individuals of various professions and social standings, contributing to the rich tapestry of local history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roughton

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

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

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

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