Find out how popular the last name Wrighton is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wrighton.
An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "farm by the ridge".
Wrighton, 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 Wrighton surname is from the 2010 census data.
Wrighton is the 80419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Wrighton surname appeared 236 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 Wrighton.
We can also compare 2010 data for Wrighton 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 80419 | 83965 | -4.31% |
| Count | 236 | 208 | 12.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.00% |
The surname Wrighton originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. The name is habitational in nature, referring to locations within England, specifically the village of Wroughton in Wiltshire or possibly other similarly named locales. The name Wroughton itself comes from the Old English words "wroht," meaning 'dam or embankment,' and "tun," meaning 'enclosure or settlement.'
One of the earliest historical references to the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the village of Wroughton was recorded as "Wrotone." This connection indicates that individuals with the surname likely originated from this area, and their ancestors were inhabitants of this locality. The old spellings and linguistic evolution of "wroht" and "tun" over the years shaped the modern surname Wrighton.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname appear in various medieval documents. For example, an individual named John de Wroughton was listed in Warwickshire records from the year 1273. The use of "de" signifies "of" or "from," reaffirming the habitational roots of the surname.
Several historical figures bear the surname Wrighton. Sir John Wrighton (1425-1470) was a notable knight who served in the Wars of the Roses. His service to the crown and participation in key battles of the era mark him as a significant bearer of the surname. Similarly, Edward Wrighton (1585-1643) was a known landowner who played a role in local governance in Wiltshire during the early Stuart period.
In the 18th century, sociopolitical changes saw the rise of another notable person, Reverend Thomas Wrighton (1720-1788), who was a clergyman and scholar associated with the Church of England. His contributions to ecclesiastical research and theology were well-regarded in his era.
In the world of arts, Mary Wrighton (1795-1862), an English painter and artist, gained recognition for her contributions to landscape painting. Her works, depicting rural England, remain significant to art historians studying the period.
Bringing the name into the 19th century, Captain James Wrighton (1823-1884) was a distinguished officer in the British Navy, remembered for his exploratory ventures and service during wartime. His legacy as a naval officer underscores the surname’s presence in military history.
The surname Wrighton stands as a testament to its deep historical and geographical roots in England, having evolved over centuries and associated with various notable individuals that left their mark in different fields.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wrighton.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wrighton was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 35.59% | 84 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 56.78% | 134 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.54% | 6 |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
| Hispanic Origin | 3.39% | 8 |
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 Wrighton has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 35.59% | 40.38% | -12.61% |
| Black | 56.78% | 57.69% | -1.59% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.54% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | 3.39% | (S)% | (S)% |
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 Wrighton was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wrighton, please contact us.
We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.
If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!
<a href="https://namecensus.com/last-names/wrighton-surname-popularity/">Wrighton last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.
Simple as that.