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

Walthour, 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 Walthour surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Walthour in America

Walthour is the 24159th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Walthour surname appeared 1,041 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 Walthour.

We can also compare 2010 data for Walthour 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 Walthour

The surname Walthour has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "weald" meaning "forest" and "huru" meaning "a nook or corner." Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived in a secluded area or a nook within a forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Walthour." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, a variation of the name, "Waldehore," was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like document from 1273. This spelling provides insight into the evolution of the name over time.

During the 14th century, the name Walthour appeared in the records of the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it was spelled "Walthor." This document, which recorded taxes levied on the population, indicates the presence of individuals bearing this surname in that region.

One notable figure with the surname Walthour was John Walthour, a prominent English merchant who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and played a role in the trade between England and the Netherlands.

Another individual of note was Sir William Walthour (1602-1668), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of King Charles I. He was a staunch Royalist and actively supported the Crown during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the name Walthour gained recognition through the exploits of Captain James Walthour (1720-1781), a British naval officer who distinguished himself in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.

Moving to the 19th century, we find Elizabeth Walthour (1812-1896), an American writer and educator from South Carolina. She published several works of fiction and poetry, and was known for her contributions to the literary scene in the Southern United States.

Finally, in the 20th century, Robert Walthour (1894-1949) was a prominent American cyclist who won numerous championships and set world records in various track cycling events. He was inducted into the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1959, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists of his era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Walthour

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

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

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

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