Clayton

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Clayton

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Clayton is an English surname meaning “Clay Town” from “claeg” (clay) and “tun” (town).

History:
Clayton is another example of a surname transferred in the 19th century for use as a first name.

Originally, it would have been bestowed upon sons (very occasionally daughters) as either a first or a middle name in order to honor the Clayton surname. For example, a woman named Mary Clayton who married a man named John Smith, may name her son John Clayton Smith, or merely Clayton Smith. Or a man wishing to honor Judge Thomas Clayton may name his son Thomas Clayton Johnson, or Clayton Johnson.

Although 19th century parents generally named their children in honor of a friend, relative, or hero, they were not immune to trends and fads. From the 1830s to the 1850s there was an explosion of children (especially Kentuckian children) being named Clay, after popular politician Henry Clay (1777-1852). Parents who liked the sound of Clay, may well have chosen Clayton as an alternative. In any case, by the late 19th century Clayton had outstripped Clay and continues to be a common name today.

Pronunciation: clay-ton.

Diminutives:
English: Clay.

Famous Bearers:
Singers and Entertainers:
Clayton “Peg Leg” Bates (1907-1998)
American tap dancer.
Clayton Moore (1914-1999)
American actor.
Clay Aiken (Clayton Holmes Grissom) (1978-)
American singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.060 % of males forenamed Clayton
0.024 % of surnamed Clayton

Popularity of Clayton:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 336th most popular.
1875: 212th most popular.
1880: 200th most popular.
1881: 211th most popular.
1882: 210th most popular.
1883: 199th most popular.
1884: 193rd most popular.
1885: 192nd most popular.
1886: 182nd most popular.
1887: 172nd most popular.
1888: 221st most popular.
1889: 176th most popular.
1890: 176th most popular.
1891: 194th most popular.
1892: 228th most popular.
1893: 186th most popular.
1894: 212th most popular.
1895: 182nd most popular.
1896: 160th most popular.
1897: 196th most popular.
1898: 179th most popular.
1899: 213th most popular.
1900: 175th most popular.
1901: 17th most popular.
1902: 175th most popular.
1903: 187th most popular.
1904: 188th most popular.
1905: 174th most popular.
1906: 180th most popular.
1907: 192nd most popular.
1908: 169th most popular.
1909: 176th most popular.
1910: 177th most popular.
1911: 165th most popular.
1912: 169th most popular.
1913: 181st most popular.
1914: 158th most popular.
1915: 165th most popular.
1916: 158th most popular.
1917: 168th most popular.
1918: 156th most popular.
1919: 149th most popular.
1920: 154th most popular.
1921: 158th most popular.
1922: 159th most popular.
1923: 157th most popular.
1924: 153rd most popular.
1925: 162nd most popular.
1926: 161st most popular.
1927: 164th most popular.
1928: 175th most popular.
1929: 166th most popular.
1930: 177th most popular.
1931: 168th most popular.
1932: 175th most popular.
1933: 188th most popular.
1934: 183rd most popular.
1935: 186th most popular.
1936: 186th most popular.
1937: 188th most popular.
1938: 199th most popular.
1939: 197th most popular.
1940: 213th most popular.
1941: 206th most popular.
1942: 213th most popular.
1943: 206th most popular.
1944: 212th most popular.
1945: 218th most popular.
1946: 221st most popular.
1947: 225th most popular.
1948: 239th most popular.
1949: 237th most popular.
1950: 242nd most popular.
1951: 233rd most popular.
1952: 227th most popular.
1953: 230th most popular.
1954: 239th most popular.
1955: 234th most popular.
1956: 234th most popular.
1957: 242nd most popular.
1958: 233rd most popular.
1959: 238th most popular.
1960: 221st most popular.
1961: 231st most popular.
1962: 249th most popular.
1963: 234th most popular.
1964: 251st most popular.
1965: 251st most popular.
1966: 260th most popular.
1967: 266th most popular.
1968: 263rd most popular.
1969: 263rd most popular.
1970: 264th most popular.
1971: 240th most popular.
1972: 230th most popular.
1973: 198th most popular.
1974: 203rd most popular.
1975: 193rd most popular.
1976: 187th most popular.
1977: 197th most popular.
1978: 203rd most popular.
1979: 199th most popular.
1980: 194th most popular.
1981: 186th most popular.
1982: 161st most popular.
1983: 158th most popular.
1984: 150th most popular.
1985: 157th most popular.
1986: 161st most popular.
1987: 153rd most popular.
1988: 146th most popular.
1989: 153rd most popular.
1990: 164th most popular.
1991: 182nd most popular.
1992: 174th most popular.
1993: 166th most popular.
1994: 152nd most popular.
1995: 156th most popular.
1996: 154th most popular.
1997: 153rd most popular.
1998: 152nd most popular.
1999: 160th most popular.
2000: 153rd most popular.
2001: 164th most popular.
2002: 180th most popular.
2003: 187th most popular.
2004: 198th most popular.

Selected Sources:
A Dictionary of English Surnames by Reaney and Wilson, 1997.
A Dictionary of First Names by Hanks and Hodges, 1990.
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999.

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880