Fulton Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Fulton last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Meaning and origin of the Fulton last name
Meaning of the Fulton last name: bird settlement. Fulton is a Scottish surname from lands called Fulton in Ayrshire or Renfrewshire, perhaps from Old English words for "bird" and "settlement". The family is found in Ayrshire from the 1200s, and Fultons moved to Ulster in the 1600s. A curious detail of this surname origin: Robert Fulton, the steamboat engineer, carried this last name, and towns across America are named after him.
Arms associated with the Fulton name
Scottish heraldry favours bold figures such as lions, stars and hands, and coats of arms associated with the Fulton surname follow that strong, clear style.
Get your full Fulton family history
This is only a glimpse of the Fulton story. The full Fulton history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Fulton coat of arms. Get the full Fulton report.
Fulton name FAQ
What does the Fulton name mean?
Bird settlement. Common variants include Fultoun, Foulton.
Where does the Fulton surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Northern Ireland and Canada.
Is there a Fulton coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Fulton coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).