Thaxter
A rare name of Old English origin, possibly meaning "thatcher" or "roofer".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Thaxter. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Thaxter today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thaxter births was 1955 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thaxter. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Thaxter is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Thaxters were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Thaxter. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1955
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1955 SSA rank
#4,346
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Thaxter: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Thaxter by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Thaxter during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Thaxter
The name Thaxter is an English surname that originated from an occupational name for a thatcher, someone who thatched roofs with straw or reeds. The name's origins can be traced back to the Old English word "þæcce," meaning "thatch." It likely emerged as a surname in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, when hereditary surnames became more common in England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thaxter can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named William le Thacker is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the connection between the name and the occupation of thatching.
While the name Thaxter is primarily an English surname, it has been adopted as a given name, although its usage as a first name is relatively uncommon. One notable individual named Thaxter was Celia Thaxter, an American poet and author born in 1835 on the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. She is known for her literary works that celebrated the natural beauty of the region.
Another individual named Thaxter was Thaxter Spencer, an American artist and illustrator who lived from 1881 to 1966. He is best known for his illustrations in children's books, including editions of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "The Wind in the Willows."
In the field of botany, the name Thaxter is associated with Roland Thaxter, an American botanist and mycologist who lived from 1858 to 1932. He made significant contributions to the study of fungi, particularly those that grow on insects.
Another notable bearer of the name was Thaxter Thibodeau, an American professional golfer who was born in 1889 and played on the PGA Tour in the early 20th century. He achieved several notable victories, including the 1918 North and South Open.
Finally, Thaxter Shaw was an American actor and playwright who lived from 1909 to 1962. He is best known for his roles on Broadway and in several Hollywood films during the 1940s and 1950s.
While the name Thaxter is not common as a first name, its historical roots as an occupational surname and the notable individuals who have borne it throughout history contribute to its unique character and significance.
People
Thaxter + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thaxter as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Thaxter: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thaxter?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thaxter going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Thaxter a common name?
We classify Thaxter as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thaxter most popular?
The single biggest year for Thaxter was 1955, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thaxter is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Thaxter in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thaxter a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thaxter in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Thaxter still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thaxter in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Thaxter can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Thaxter as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.