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

Skellington, 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 Skellington surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skellington in America

Skellington is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skellington surname appeared 103 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Skellington.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skellington 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 Skellington

The surname SKELLINGTON has its origins in the medieval period in England, derived from the Old English words "scel" meaning a shed or hut, and "tun" meaning a town or village. It likely referred to someone who lived in a small settlement or hamlet made up of sheds or huts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Sceldintun" in the county of Norfolk. This suggests the name was already well-established in parts of eastern England by the late 11th century.

Over time, the name evolved in spelling, with variants such as "Skeldinton," "Skeldyngton," and "Skellyngton" appearing in various records from the 13th to 15th centuries. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings before they became more standardized.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Skellington (c. 1320–1390), a prominent English cleric who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1362 until his death. Records indicate he hailed from the village of Skellington in Yorkshire, further reinforcing the name's geographical origins.

Another noteworthy figure was Sir Ralph Skellington (c. 1460–1525), a English knight and landowner who held estates in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. He is mentioned in various legal documents and court records from the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

During the Tudor period, the name appeared in the writings of the poet and playwright John Skelton (c. 1460–1529), who penned satirical works commenting on the politics and society of his time. Although the connection to the surname is unclear, some scholars speculate that he may have adopted the pen name as a play on the word "skellington."

In the 17th century, William Skellington (1615–1677) was a prominent English Puritan minister who served as the Rector of St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden, London. He was known for his fiery sermons and published several religious works during his lifetime.

Moving into the 18th century, one notable bearer of the name was Thomas Skellington (1734–1802), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Freemasons' Hall and the Church of St. Mary-le-Strand.

These examples demonstrate the enduring presence of the SKELLINGTON surname throughout various periods of British history, with bearers hailing from different regions and occupying diverse roles in society, from clergy and nobility to writers and architects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skellington

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

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

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

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