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

Vault, 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 Vault surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vault in America

Vault is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vault surname appeared 178 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 Vault.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vault 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 Vault

The surname Vault originates from England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "voute," meaning "vault" or "arched ceiling," suggesting a possible connection to the occupation of a builder or architect.

In medieval times, the name was often spelled as "Vaulte" or "Vaulter," and it can be traced back to various regions across England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name include Richard le Vaulter, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, and John Vaulter, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

The Vault surname is also found in several historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1221, where a Henry Vault is mentioned. Additionally, the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1310 includes a reference to a William Vaulter, indicating the presence of the name in different parts of the country.

Notable individuals bearing the Vault surname throughout history include Sir William Vault (1501-1568), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was John Vault (1642-1716), a renowned architect and surveyor who contributed to the reconstruction of several churches in London after the Great Fire of 1666.

Other individuals of note include Thomas Vault (1712-1783), an English clergyman and author of several religious works, and Elizabeth Vault (1770-1853), a philanthropist and social reformer who founded several charitable institutions in her hometown of Bristol.

The Vault surname has also been associated with various places and locations, such as Vault Hill in Gloucestershire, which may have derived its name from the presence of individuals with the surname in the area. Additionally, the village of Vault End in Hertfordshire is believed to be named after an early settler with the Vault surname.

Throughout its history, the Vault surname has been subject to various spellings and variations, including Vaulter, Vaultor, and Vaultor, reflecting the linguistic and regional diversity of England during different periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vault

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

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

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

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