2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Silton
An English place-name-based surname derived from the town of Silton in North Yorkshire.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Silton. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Silton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Silton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Silton, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Silton
The surname "SILTON" is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from an Old English place name, likely referring to a town or village with a similar spelling. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror.
During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Silletone" and "Silletun," reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. These variations often stemmed from regional dialects and scribal errors in record-keeping. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Silton, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century.
By the 16th century, the spelling "SILTON" had become more standardized, and the name was found across various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. In the latter county, the village of Silton still exists today, indicating a possible connection between the surname and the place name.
In the 17th century, William Silton, a merchant from London, gained prominence for his successful trade ventures and philanthropic contributions to the city. Another individual of note was Elizabeth Silton, a renowned author and poet who published several works in the late 1600s.
The 18th century saw the birth of John Silton (1725-1804), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Exchange and St. Paul's Cathedral. His son, also named John Silton (1755-1839), followed in his father's footsteps and became an influential figure in the field of architecture during the Georgian era.
In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with the exploits of Sir Arthur Silton (1810-1892), an explorer and diplomat who played a significant role in establishing British colonial interests in Africa. His travels and writings provided valuable insights into the cultures and landscapes he encountered during his expeditions.
Throughout its history, the surname "SILTON" has been associated with various professions, from military service and trade to literature and architecture. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its enduring presence in records and historical accounts attests to its rich heritage and the diverse contributions of those who bore it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Silton
Among Census respondents with the surname Silton, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Silton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Silton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.2% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Silton
Silton appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,088 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,953 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 12,088 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 6,953 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Silton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #154,907 | #147,954 | 4.5% |
| Count | 105 | 112 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Silton bearers went from 105 to 112 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 6,953 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #147,954.
FAQ
Silton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Silton?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Silton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Silton?
Silton ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Silton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Silton.
Has Silton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Silton went from 105 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Silton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Silton, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Silton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.2% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Silton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.2%), Hispanic (4.5%), Black (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Silton (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Silton mean?
An English place-name-based surname derived from the town of Silton in North Yorkshire. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Silton (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Silton?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Silton, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.