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

Rustin, 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 Rustin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rustin in America

Rustin is the 16191st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rustin surname appeared 1,784 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 Rustin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rustin 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 Rustin

The surname Rustin originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "rust," which means "red" or "reddish-brown," likely referring to someone with a ruddy complexion or reddish hair.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert Rustin, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273. This historical document, also known as the Rotuli Hundredorum, was a census-like record compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

Variations of the name, such as Ruston and Rustyn, were also found in medieval records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327 and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1383, respectively. These variations suggest that the name may have originated from different locations within England.

The surname Rustin is also believed to have connections to various place names in England, such as Ruston in Yorkshire and Rustington in Sussex. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Rustin include:

1. Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), an American leader in the civil rights movement, adviser to Martin Luther King Jr., and organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.

2. John Rustin (c. 1535-1615), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1587 to 1588.

3. Thomas Rustin (c. 1600-1674), an English surveyor and cartographer who produced detailed maps of various counties in England during the 17th century.

4. Margaret Rustin (1911-2003), an American social worker and educator who played a significant role in developing the field of child psychotherapy.

5. William Rustin (1671-1741), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth and the Radnor House.

While the surname Rustin has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rustin

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

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

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

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