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

Vaughans, 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 Vaughans surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vaughans in America

Vaughans is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vaughans surname appeared 129 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 Vaughans.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vaughans 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 Vaughans

The surname VAUGHANS is of Welsh origin, deriving from the ancient Welsh personal name "Bychan" or "Vychan" meaning "little" or "small." It is believed to have originated in the region of Glamorgan in South Wales during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various spellings such as "Vaughan," "Vaughn," and "Vychan." One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Roger Vaughan, a prominent Welsh landowner and military commander who fought alongside Edward I during the conquest of Wales in the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the VAUGHANS surname gained recognition through its association with the Welsh gentry and nobility. Notable figures included Sir Henry Vaughan (c. 1350-1413), a Welsh landowner and soldier who served under Henry IV, and Sir Thomas Vaughan (c. 1410-1483), a Welsh politician and diplomat who served as a member of the English Parliament.

During the Tudor period, the VAUGHANS family continued to rise in prominence, with several members holding influential positions in the English court. One of the most notable figures was Sir Roger Vaughan (c. 1475-1535), a Welsh soldier and courtier who served as a trusted advisor to Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, the VAUGHANS surname gained literary significance through the works of Henry Vaughan (1621-1695), a Welsh metaphysical poet and physician who is considered one of the most important figures in Welsh literature. His twin brother, Thomas Vaughan (1621-1666), was also a renowned alchemist and philosopher who published works under the pseudonym "Eugenius Philalethes."

Another notable figure was Sir John Vaughan (1603-1674), an English judge and legal scholar who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. He played a pivotal role in the development of English common law and is remembered for his influential legal writings.

The VAUGHANS surname has continued to be prominent throughout history, with various individuals making significant contributions in various fields, including politics, literature, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vaughans

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

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

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

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