Staunton
A locational surname referring to someone from the town of Staunton, England.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,097 Americans carry the last name Staunton. That puts it at #25,833 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 312,447 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Staunton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
1.1K
1 in 312,447
Census rank
#25,833
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
953
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 953 bearers of the surname Staunton in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25833rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Staunton, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Staunton
The surname Staunton is of English origin, derived from the place name Staunton, which is found in various locations across England. The name itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "stan" meaning stone and "tun" meaning enclosure or farm, suggesting it may have been a description of a settlement surrounded by stone walls or located near a prominent stone formation.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears in various spellings such as Stantone and Stantun. These entries refer to several places in counties like Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, and Wiltshire, indicating the widespread distribution of the name across different regions.
One notable early bearer of the name was Sir William Staunton, a 13th-century landowner and knight from Nottinghamshire, who played a role in the Wars of the Barons during the reign of King Henry III.
In the 16th century, Sir George Staunton (1528-1601) was a prominent English diplomat and politician who served as Secretary of State under Queen Elizabeth I. He was also a member of Parliament and held various important positions in the English government.
Another notable figure was Sir George Leonard Staunton (1737-1801), a British diplomat and writer who served as Secretary to Lord Macartney's embassy to China in 1792-1794. He published an account of the embassy's journey, which provided valuable insights into Chinese culture and society at the time.
In the field of chess, Howard Staunton (1810-1874) was a renowned English chess player and writer. He is best known for his contributions to the development of modern chess notation and for his role in promoting the game through his writings and the design of the Staunton chess set, which became the standard for chess piece design.
Another significant bearer of the name was Sir Howard Staunton (1590-1667), an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1628 to 1639.
While the surname Staunton has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and the British colonial expansion. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to the name can be traced back to its English origins and the various notable individuals who bore this surname throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Staunton
Among Census respondents with the surname Staunton, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Staunton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Staunton surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.5%
- Black or African American14.2%
- Two or more races2.5%
- Hispanic or Latino1.3%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Staunton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,448 | #25,833 | -1.5% |
| Count | 913 | 953 | 4.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.34 | 0.32 | -5.9% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Staunton bearers went from 913 to 953 (+4.4% change). The surname moved down 385 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,448 to #25,833.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Staunton
FAQ
Staunton surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Staunton?
The surname Staunton holds position #25,833 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,097 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Staunton surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Staunton, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.