Explore the Family Name Charleston
The meaning of Charleston
Scottish (West Lothian) and English: patronymic, with intrusive -t-, from the personal name Charles (compare Charleson). The various places called Charleston are all of recent origin, so they are unlikely to be the source of the surname.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Charleston in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Charleston has seen a slight increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Charleston ranked 9,927, but by 2010 it had climbed to 9,695 in popularity. This represents a 2.34% change in ranking. Additionally, the number of people with the surname Charleston grew from 3,000 in 2000 to 3,346 in 2010, an increase of 11.53%. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people also rose from 1.11 to 1.13 during this time period, signifying a growth rate of 1.8%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,927 | #9,695 | 2.34% |
| Count | 3,000 | 3,346 | 11.53% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.11 | 1.13 | 1.8% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Charleston
In terms of ethnicity according to the same Decennial U.S. Census data, the Charleston surname showed diverse ethnic identity representation. In 2010, the largest ethnic group with this surname was Black at 61.66%, slightly up from 60.27% in 2000. Whites made up the next significant chunk at 30.30%, down from 33.17% in 2000. The Hispanic representation saw the most significant increase, almost doubling from 1.17% in 2000 to 2.27% in 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander community also increased their share from 0.37% to 0.54%. Those identifying as Two or More Races and American Indian and Alaskan Native showed minor increases, standing at 2.54% and 2.69% respectively in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 60.27% | 61.66% | 2.31% |
| White | 33.17% | 30.3% | -8.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.6% | 2.69% | 3.46% |
| Two or More Races | 2.43% | 2.54% | 4.53% |
| Hispanic | 1.17% | 2.27% | 94.02% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.54% | 45.95% |