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

Scholten, 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 Scholten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Scholten in America

Scholten is the 9687th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Scholten surname appeared 3,350 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 Scholten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Scholten 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 Scholten

The surname "Scholten" is of Dutch origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period in the Netherlands. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "scholte," which referred to a local magistrate or village official responsible for overseeing local affairs and collecting taxes.

The earliest known records of the surname can be traced back to the 14th century in the province of Friesland, one of the northern regions of the Netherlands. The name was particularly prevalent in areas around the city of Leeuwarden, where many families bearing the "Scholten" surname were documented in local parish records and land registries.

One of the earliest mentions of the name can be found in a 1392 manuscript from the town of Franeker, which referenced a certain "Wibbe Scholten" as a local landowner and respected member of the community. This document provides valuable insight into the social status and influence that individuals with this surname held during that time period.

Another notable historical figure bearing the "Scholten" name was Johannes Scholten, a prominent Dutch theologian and philosopher who lived from 1598 to 1673. He was widely regarded for his scholarly works on Protestant theology and his contributions to the intellectual climate of the Dutch Golden Age.

During the 17th century, the "Scholten" surname also gained prominence in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia), where several members of the family held influential positions within the Dutch colonial administration. One such individual was Dirk Scholten, who served as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1795 to 1797.

In the 19th century, Jacobus Scholten (1811-1885) was a Dutch politician and legal scholar who played a pivotal role in the revision of the Dutch penal code. His contributions to legal reform and advocacy for civil liberties left a lasting impact on Dutch society.

Another notable figure was the Dutch-American painter and printmaker, John Scholten (1880-1957), whose works captured the landscapes and everyday life of rural America. His artistic legacy continues to be celebrated and exhibited in galleries across the United States.

While the "Scholten" surname has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with families bearing this name now found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Scholten

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

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

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

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