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

Rountree, 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 Rountree surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rountree in America

Rountree is the 5196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rountree surname appeared 6,726 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 Rountree.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rountree 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 Rountree

The surname Rountree is an English topographic name derived from the Old English words "rund" meaning "round" and "treow" meaning "tree." It likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a distinctive round-shaped tree or a group of round trees. The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 13th century in the Huntingdonshire county of England, where it appeared as "Rundetre" in official records.

The Rountree surname has its roots in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire, and Yorkshire. It is believed to have been initially adopted as a locational name by families residing near distinctive round-shaped trees or copses. Over time, the name evolved into its modern spelling, Rountree.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a Thomas Rountree. Additionally, the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642 for Yorkshire list several individuals with the surname Rountree, suggesting its widespread use in that region during the 17th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Rountree throughout history include:

1. Sir John Rountree (1615-1692), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Brackley in Northamptonshire during the 17th century.

2. William Rountree (1773-1842), an American pioneer and frontiersman who played a significant role in the early settlement of Tennessee and Kentucky.

3. Reverend John Rountree (1805-1873), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Wragby in Lincolnshire.

4. Martha Rountree (1837-1923), an American activist and philanthropist from Alabama, known for her work in establishing schools and promoting education for African Americans during the Reconstruction era.

5. Harry Rountree (1892-1949), a British actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films and stage productions in the early 20th century.

While the Rountree surname originated in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through British immigration and colonization efforts. Today, the name can be found in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rountree

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

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

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

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