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

Vaught, 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 Vaught surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vaught in America

Vaught is the 3738th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vaught surname appeared 9,476 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 Vaught.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vaught 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 Vaught

The surname Vaught is believed to have originated in England, with roots tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "fah," meaning "variegated" or "multi-colored," and may have been used to describe someone with unusual hair or complexion coloring.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vaught can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Fauht." This suggests that the name was already in use during the 11th century, though its spelling and pronunciation likely evolved over time.

In the 13th century, the surname Vaught appeared in various medieval records, often spelled as "Vought" or "Vowght." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Vaught surname became more prevalent in certain regions of England, particularly in the counties of Sussex and Kent. Several notable individuals bore this surname during this time, including John Vaught (1555-1631), a wealthy merchant and landowner in the city of Canterbury.

As the British Empire expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, many individuals with the surname Vaught ventured to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One such individual was William Vaught (1780-1856), who emigrated from England to the United States in the early 1800s and settled in Ohio, where he became a prosperous farmer.

Other notable individuals with the surname Vaught include Robert Vaught (1892-1967), an American football player and coach who played for the University of Illinois and later coached at the University of Texas; and Beverly Vaught (1924-2008), an American actress best known for her roles in several Western films during the 1940s and 1950s.

Throughout its history, the surname Vaught has maintained a relatively consistent spelling, though variations such as "Vought" and "Vaut" have been documented. Regardless of its spelling, the name continues to be associated with its Anglo-Saxon roots and its connection to the idea of unique or distinctive coloring.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vaught

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

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

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

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