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

Rushton, 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 Rushton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rushton in America

Rushton is the 7609th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rushton surname appeared 4,369 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Rushton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rushton 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 Rushton

The surname Rushton is of English origin, derived from the place name Rushton, found in counties such as Cheshire, Northamptonshire, and Staffordshire. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "rysc" meaning rush and "tun" meaning farm or enclosure, indicating a settlement near rushes or marshland.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Rushton appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Risedene" and "Risdone," referring to the village of Rushton in Staffordshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the medieval period, the surname Rushton was found in various records and documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the 12th century and the Subsidy Rolls of Cheshire from the 14th century. Variations in spelling, such as Rusheton, Russheton, and Russhton, were common during this time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was William de Rushton, who was mentioned in the Placita de Quo Warranto rolls of 1292-1293 as holding lands in Rushton, Staffordshire. Another notable figure was Sir John Rushton (c. 1480-1551), who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1537.

In the 16th century, the Rushton family established themselves as landed gentry in Staffordshire and Cheshire. Sir Edward Rushton (1573-1637), a High Sheriff of Staffordshire, built the grand Rushton Hall in Burslem, which remained in the family's possession until the 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Rushton include:

1. Edward Rushton (1756-1817), an English poet and essayist from Liverpool.
2. William Rushton (1798-1859), a British inventor and engineer who pioneered the screw propeller and patented several related designs.
3. Reverend Charles Rushton (1824-1898), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Hoddlesden, Lancashire.
4. Edward Rushton (1828-1901), an English writer and social reformer who advocated for free trade and co-operative societies.
5. John Rushton (1855-1940), a British author and journalist known for his works on spiritualism and occultism.

The surname Rushton has been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Rushton Spencer in Staffordshire, Rushton James and Rushton All Saints in Northamptonshire, and Rushton in Cheshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rushton

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

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

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

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