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

Wanton, 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 Wanton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wanton in America

Wanton is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wanton surname appeared 160 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 Wanton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wanton 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 Wanton

The surname WANTON is an English surname that originated in the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old English word "wanton," which means "undisciplined," "unruly," or "dissolute." The name could have been originally applied to someone who was perceived as mischievous or ill-behaved.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname WANTON can be traced back to the 13th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was John Wanton, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

In the 14th century, the WANTON surname appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1365, where a Richard Wanton was listed. The Wantones were also recorded in the Register of the Freemen of the City of York in 1381, suggesting their presence in the northern regions of England.

During the 16th century, the WANTON surname gained prominence with the rise of a prominent family in Rhode Island, USA. Edward Wanton (1586-1658) was one of the earliest settlers in the colony and served as the Governor of Rhode Island from 1640 to 1644. His descendants continued to play influential roles in the colony's political and social affairs.

Another notable bearer of the WANTON surname was Joseph Wanton (1670-1737), who served as the Governor of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1737. He was a successful merchant and played a significant role in the development of Newport, Rhode Island.

In the 18th century, the WANTON surname was also associated with the Quaker movement. John Wanton (1672-1743), a prominent Quaker minister, was born in Gloucestershire, England, and later emigrated to Pennsylvania. He played a crucial role in the establishment of Quaker communities in the American colonies.

The WANTON surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Wanton Green in Staffordshire and Wanton's Bluff in Kent. These place names may have influenced the development and spread of the surname in different regions.

Overall, the surname WANTON has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages in England. It has been associated with various notable individuals and families throughout the centuries, particularly in the American colonies, and has been influenced by Old English words and place names.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wanton

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

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

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

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