2000
#6,092
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,198
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.93
Rare Last name
Slaton
Derived from a place name meaning "town on a slate hill" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,864 Americans carry the last name Slaton. That puts it at #6,392 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 58,451 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Slaton 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Slaton with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.9K
1 in 58,451
Census rank
#6,392
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,114 bearers of the surname Slaton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6392nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Slaton, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.6%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Slaton
The surname Slaton has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "slæde" or "slade," meaning a valley, and "tun," meaning a settlement or enclosure. This suggests that the name likely originated from a place name referring to a settlement or village located in a valley.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Slaton can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Sladeton." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a specific location before evolving into a surname.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where it is spelled as "Slaydon." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet established.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Slaton was Sir John Slaton, a English knight who lived in the 15th century. He is mentioned in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the Paston family, which provides valuable insights into the social and political landscape of the time.
In the 16th century, the surname Slaton can be found in the parish records of Oxfordshire, where it appears as "Slayton." This variation likely emerged due to regional dialects and the influence of local accents on the pronunciation and spelling of names.
Another notable individual with the surname Slaton was Robert Slaton, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 16th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial estates and played a significant role in the local community.
Moving into the 17th century, the name Slaton appears in the Marriage Allegations of the Diocese of Canterbury from 1636, where it is recorded as "Slatton." This variation further illustrates the fluidity of surnames during this period, as they were often subject to regional influences and differences in pronunciation.
In the 18th century, the surname Slaton can be found in various parish records across England, including those of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One notable figure from this period was William Slaton, a prominent clergyman who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire from 1742 to 1778.
As the 19th century dawned, the surname Slaton had solidified its spelling and was widely recognized across England. One notable individual from this period was John Slaton, a renowned landscape painter who was born in 1819 and gained acclaim for his depictions of the English countryside.
Throughout its history, the surname Slaton has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including knights, merchants, clergymen, and artists. Its origins can be traced back to the valleys of England, where it emerged as a place name before evolving into a hereditary surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Slaton
Among Census respondents with the surname Slaton, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.6%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Slaton 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 Slaton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.0% · 3,424
- Black or African American23.6% · 1,206
- Two or more races5.1% · 260
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 159
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 35
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Slaton
Slaton 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
#6,143
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,577
+379 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 1.89
Rank movement Down 51 places
2020
#6,392
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,114
-463 bearers (-8.3%)
Per 100,000 1.71
Rank movement Down 249 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,092 | 5,198 | 1.93 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,143 | 5,577 | 1.89 | +379 bearers (+7.3%) | Down 51 places |
| 2020 | #6,392 | 5,114 | 1.71 | -463 bearers (-8.3%) | Down 249 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 Slaton 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 | #6,143 | #6,392 | -4.1% |
| Count | 5,577 | 5,114 | -8.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.89 | 1.71 | -9.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Slaton bearers went from 5,577 to 5,114 (-8.3% change). The surname moved down 249 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,143 to #6,392.
FAQ
Slaton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Slaton?
Name Census estimates that about 5,864 living Americans carry the surname Slaton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 58,451 residents.
How common is Slaton?
Slaton ranks #6,392 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.71 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,114 people with the surname Slaton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,864), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.71 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.71 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Slaton.
Has Slaton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Slaton went from 5,577 recorded bearers to 5,114. That is a decrease of 463 (-8.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,143 to #6,392.
What does the Census say about the background of Slaton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Slaton, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.6%) and Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Slaton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.0% (3,424 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Slaton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.0%), Black (23.6%), Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Slaton (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 Slaton mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "town on a slate hill" in Old English. 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 Slaton (1.71 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 Slaton?
Want to know how common the surname Slaton is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.