Find out how popular the last name Jowdy is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jowdy.

Jowdy, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jowdy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jowdy in America

Jowdy is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jowdy surname appeared 178 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jowdy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jowdy to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Jowdy

The surname Jowdy is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Gloucestershire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "geolu" (yellow) and "dun" (hill), suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a yellowish hill or a place with a similar topographical feature.

Records dating back to the 13th century mention individuals with variations of the name, such as "Jouldy," "Jowldy," and "Jowldie." One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1327, where a "Johannes Jowldy" is listed as a taxpayer.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name appears to have stabilized to its current form, "Jowdy." During this period, the name is found in various parish records and local historical documents, particularly in the areas around Gloucestershire and neighboring counties.

One notable individual with the surname Jowdy was William Jowdy (c. 1555-1622), a prominent merchant and landowner from Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. He played a significant role in the local community and his name appears in several legal records and property deeds from the time.

Another historical figure bearing the Jowdy name was Elizabeth Jowdy (c. 1620-1688), a Puritan writer and religious scholar from Gloucestershire. She authored several treatises on spiritual matters and was known for her involvement in the local Puritan community.

In the 18th century, the Jowdy family appears to have spread to other parts of England, as evidenced by the birth records of John Jowdy (1725-1798) in Somerset and the marriage record of Thomas Jowdy (1740-1819) in Oxfordshire.

The 19th century saw the migration of some Jowdy individuals to other parts of the world, including North America. One notable example is William Jowdy (1810-1892), an English-born farmer who settled in Ontario, Canada, and played a role in the development of the local agricultural community.

Throughout its history, the Jowdy surname has maintained a strong presence in its areas of origin, primarily in the West Country region of England, particularly Gloucestershire and surrounding counties. While not a particularly widespread name, it has endured as a distinct family lineage with its roots tracing back to the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jowdy

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jowdy.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jowdy was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Jowdy has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jowdy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jowdy, please contact us.

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