The Appleton surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,588 people carried this name — #6,132 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 52,900 people counted. That is up 4% from 5,377 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Appleton surname

An English habitational surname from Old English from either of the places.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Appleton» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Appleton’.

An early record he cites: Thomas de Appelton, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 57 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 31 people named Appleton.

14 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 5 départements, most often Seine-Maritime.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 14
Seine-Maritime 10
Pas-de-Calais 2
Paris 2
Vosges 2
Rhône 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

35 people named Appleton is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 35

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Appleton was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Yorkshire, North and East Ridings: 12 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 833. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 12
Lancashire 8

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

36 Appleton families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 225 people lived in those households, 6.3 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 23
North Carolina 5
Maine 4
New Hampshire 4

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 227 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Appleton in American newspapers,
1889.

Newspaper page from Catoctin Clarion carrying the name Appleton
Catoctin Clarion 1889-08-01
Newspaper page from Democratic Messenger carrying the name Appleton
Democratic Messenger 1889-08-17
Newspaper page from The Baltimore County Union carrying the name Appleton
The Baltimore County Union 1889-08-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,341 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Appleton in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

28,095 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Appleton. The most, 3,913, date from the 1920s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 9,239
Queensland 5,968
New South Wales 5,922
South Australia 3,740
Western Australia 1,933
Tasmania 1,212
ACT (Canberra) 37
Northern Territory 11

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Appleton.

Who carried it

People named Appleton,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Roger Appleton d. 1558 · politician
  • Henry Appleton d. 1657 · military officer
  • Sir Roger Appleton, 1st Baronet d. 1614
  • Sir Henry Appleton, 3rd Baronet d. 1670
  • Henry Appleton d. 1606
  • Frances Margaret Eden d. 1930

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Appleton,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States966 records

966 records of the Appleton name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 283
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 270
  • Other U.S. records 413
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Burdette Appleton

    Born 1947; from Louisville, Kentucky. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Richard Appleton

    Born 1912 in Illinois. Enlisted 1941 at Los Angeles, California; filling station attendant. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Riverside National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Appleton

    Arrived at Boston in 1849 aboard the Hannah Eddy from Liverpool, aged 20; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 966 records for Appleton in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia783 records

783 records of the Appleton name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 450
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 118
  • Other Australian records 215
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Appleton

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Susan, sailing from London in 1837. Native of Bishopstoke, Hampshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847. Married 1848 in Spring Bay, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Joseph Appleton

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848. Married 1848 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 28.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas Appleton

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Lincolnshire, aged 42; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 783 records for Appleton in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada128 records

128 records of the Appleton name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 92
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 10
  • Other Canadian records 26
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Emma Appleton

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 52; buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Appleton

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Medway, landing at Quebec, bound for Chatham, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Robert Henry Appleton

    Buried in 1988 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 63.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 128 records for Appleton in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom33 records

33 records of the Appleton name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 27
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 4
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Appleton

    Buried in 1822 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 53.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Pearson Appleton

    Will proved in 1938; of St Davids, Pembrokeshire.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Appleton

    Driver, Iroyal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 33 records for Appleton in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands18 records

18 records of the Appleton name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 16
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Isabella Appleton

    Married in 1831 in Amsterdam.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Jane Appleton

    Born 1841 in Veenhuizen.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Alfred Appleton

    In the population register of Vlissingen; born 1903 in Londen.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Vlissingen (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Appleton in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France10 records

10 records of the Appleton name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roger Brodee Appleton

    Born 1922 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise (Puy-de-Dôme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marguerite Alphonsine Charlotte Appleton

    Born 1900 in Rouen (Seine-Maritime); died 1982 in Blois (Loir-et-Cher).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Douglas Horace Appleton

    Born 1917 in Great Britain; died 1998 in La Sauvetat-du-Dropt (Lot-et-Garonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Appleton in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand5 records

5 records of the Appleton name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Francis Samuel Appleton

    Died 1948, aged 68; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gordon Athol Appleton

    Died 1994; ashes interred at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alice Jane Appleton

    Died 1946, aged 56; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Appleton in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Appleton.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Appleton is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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