2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bythwood
A surname referring to someone who lived near a small village or hamlet.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Bythwood. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bythwood surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Bythwood in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bythwood, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bythwood
The surname Bythwood is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated in the region of Yorkshire, where it was first recorded as a locational name.
One of the earliest records of the Bythwood surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Bythewde," suggesting its connection to a specific place or settlement.
The name Bythwood is thought to be derived from the Old English words "byth," meaning a dwelling or settlement, and "wudu," which translates to a wood or forest. This combination likely referred to a particular settlement or homestead located near or within a wooded area.
In the 13th century, records show variations of the name, such as "Bythewode" and "Bythwod," further solidifying its association with a woodland location. It is worth noting that many surnames from this era were derived from the names of places where families resided or originated.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Bythwood surname was John Bythwood, who lived in the village of Ripley, Yorkshire, in the late 14th century. His name appeared in local parish records from around 1380.
Another notable figure was Sir Robert Bythwood, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the 15th century. He was known for his military service during the Wars of the Roses and was mentioned in several historical accounts from that period.
In the 16th century, the Bythwood family had established themselves as part of the gentry class in Yorkshire. Thomas Bythwood (1522-1597) was a respected member of the local community and served as a magistrate in the county.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, records show that a Captain William Bythwood (1610-1678) fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell's command. He played a role in several key battles and was later granted land in recognition of his service.
In the 18th century, the Bythwood surname spread beyond Yorkshire, with families bearing the name found in various parts of England. One notable individual was the poet and essayist Elizabeth Bythwood (1738-1812), whose writings were widely celebrated during her lifetime.
While the Bythwood surname may have evolved over time, its origins remain firmly rooted in the historic county of Yorkshire, where it first emerged as a locational name reflecting the family's connection to a specific wooded settlement or dwelling place.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bythwood
Among Census respondents with the surname Bythwood, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bythwood bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bythwood surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American88.7% · 94
- Two or more races7.5% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bythwood
Bythwood appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+9 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,887 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+9.0%) | Down 16 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 1,887 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bythwood surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #152,339 | -1.3% |
| Count | 109 | 106 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bythwood bearers went from 109 to 106 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 1,887 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #152,339.
FAQ
Bythwood surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bythwood?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Bythwood. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Bythwood?
Bythwood ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Bythwood. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bythwood.
Has Bythwood become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bythwood went from 109 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Bythwood?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bythwood, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bythwood in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bythwood appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (88.7%), Two or More Races (7.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bythwood (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bythwood mean?
A surname referring to someone who lived near a small village or hamlet. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bythwood (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Bythwood?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.