2000
#44,350
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 457
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.17
Very Rare Last name
Murton
English habitational surname derived from places named Murton.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 597 Americans carry the last name Murton. That puts it at #44,416 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 574,128 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Murton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Murton with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
597
1 in 574,128
Census rank
#44,416
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
521
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 521 bearers of the surname Murton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 44416th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Murton, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.3%) and Black (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Murton
The surname Murton is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the medieval period, specifically in the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "mor," meaning "moor" or "marsh," and the suffix "-tun," meaning "farm" or "settlement." Therefore, the name Murton likely referred to someone who lived in a settlement located near a moor or marshland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Murton can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a census-like survey conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I. The rolls mention a person named William de Murtona, suggesting that the name was already in use by that time.
The Murton surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Murton in County Durham, Murton in Cumbria, and Murton in North Yorkshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and the geographical features of moors and marshes.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the surname Murton. However, the book does record several place names that may have contributed to the development of the surname, such as "Morthuna" and "Morthorne," which could be early variations of the modern place name Murton.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Murton was John Murton, who was born in Yorkshire, England, around 1520. He was a member of the Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, and played a significant role in the early development of the religious movement.
Another notable person with the surname Murton was Sir Walter Murton (1543-1612), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who served under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. He was involved in local governance and held positions such as High Sheriff of Northumberland.
In the 17th century, a man named Richard Murton (1616-1662) gained recognition as a prominent Puritan minister and religious writer. He was born in Leicestershire, England, and served as a minister in various churches across the country.
Moving into the 18th century, William Murton (1738-1810) was an English physician and author who wrote several medical treatises, including "A Treatise on the Rickets" and "Aphorisms on the Small-Pox."
In the 19th century, James Murton (1822-1895) was a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of the steam engine and steam-powered machinery. He held numerous patents and was recognized for his innovative designs.
Throughout history, the surname Murton has been associated with various professions, including religious leaders, politicians, physicians, inventors, and landowners. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, referring to settlements near moors or marshes, it has been carried by individuals who have made their mark in various fields and contributed to the rich tapestry of English history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Murton
Among Census respondents with the surname Murton, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.3%) and Black (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Murton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Murton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.2% · 444
- Two or more races6.3% · 33
- Black or African American4.6% · 24
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 12
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Murton
Murton appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#56,444
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 362
-95 bearers (-20.8%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 12,094 places
2020
#44,416
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 521
+159 bearers (+43.9%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 12,028 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #44,350 | 457 | 0.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #56,444 | 362 | 0.12 | -95 bearers (-20.8%) | Down 12,094 places |
| 2020 | #44,416 | 521 | 0.17 | +159 bearers (+43.9%) | Up 12,028 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Murton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #56,444 | #44,416 | 21.3% |
| Count | 362 | 521 | 43.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.17 | 45.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Murton bearers went from 362 to 521 (+43.9% change). The surname moved up 12,028 positions in the national ranking, going from #56,444 to #44,416.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Murton
FAQ
Murton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Murton?
Name Census estimates that about 597 living Americans carry the surname Murton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 574,128 residents.
How common is Murton?
Murton ranks #44,416 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 521 people with the surname Murton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (597), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Murton.
Has Murton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Murton went from 362 recorded bearers to 521. That is an increase of 159 (+43.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #56,444 to #44,416.
What does the Census say about the background of Murton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Murton, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.3%) and Black (4.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Murton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.2% (444 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Murton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.2%), Two or More Races (6.3%), Black (4.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Murton (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Murton mean?
English habitational surname derived from places named Murton. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Murton (0.17 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Murton?
If you just want to know how common the surname Murton is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.