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

Tilton, 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 Tilton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tilton in America

Tilton is the 4376th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tilton surname appeared 8,124 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Tilton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tilton 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 Tilton

The surname Tilton has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a habitation name derived from the place name "Tilton" or "Tlllington," which are believed to have evolved from the Old English words "til" meaning "good" or "fertile" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "enclosure." These place names were typically associated with areas known for their rich agricultural lands.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Tilton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tiluintone." This entry refers to a settlement in Leicestershire, suggesting that the name may have originated in that region.

In the 13th century, records show various spellings of the name, such as "de Tilton," "de Tyllyngton," and "de Tyllington." This indicates that the surname was derived from the place name and adopted by individuals who hailed from those locations.

A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Tilton, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He was born around 1380 and died in the early 15th century.

Another historical figure bearing the Tilton surname was William Tilton, a Puritan settler who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634. He went on to become a prominent landowner and served as a deputy to the General Court of Massachusetts in the mid-17th century.

In the late 17th century, John Tilton (1639-1718) was a prominent merchant and ship owner in London, contributing to the city's thriving maritime trade during that period.

The Tilton surname also has connections to place names in England, such as Tilton on the Hill in Leicestershire and Tilton in Norfolk. These locations likely served as the original homesteads for families who later adopted the surname.

Among other notable individuals with the Tilton surname was Eliza Tilton (1835-1915), an American author and women's rights advocate who wrote extensively on issues of gender equality and social reform.

Throughout the centuries, the Tilton surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, spanning professions such as military service, politics, commerce, and literature, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tilton

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

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

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

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