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

Mirth, 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 Mirth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mirth in America

Mirth is the 80678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mirth surname appeared 235 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 Mirth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mirth 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 Mirth

The surname "MIRTH" is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is likely derived from the Old English word "myrige" or "myrge," which means "pleasant" or "cheerful." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone who was known for their joyful or happy demeanor.

The earliest recorded instance of the name "MIRTH" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from the year 1230, where a person named John Mirth is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use by the 13th century in the southern English county of Sussex.

In the late 13th century, the name "MIRTH" appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, an ancient record of landowners and tenants in that county. This entry suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

During the 14th century, the name "MIRTH" is recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, indicating its presence in the northern regions of England as well.

One notable bearer of the surname "MIRTH" was William Mirth, a wool merchant from Gloucestershire who was born around 1420. He is mentioned in several historical records from the mid-15th century, including the Gloucestershire Subsidy Rolls.

Another prominent individual with this surname was John Mirth, a scholar and clergyman who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in Lincolnshire in 1568 and served as the Rector of Dunston in Norfolk from 1595 until his death in 1623.

In the 17th century, the name "MIRTH" appears in various parish records across England, such as those of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, where a certain Thomas Mirth was baptized in 1632.

During the same period, the name is also found in the Hearth Tax records of Buckinghamshire, which list a household headed by a person named Robert Mirth in the town of Chesham in 1674.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the surname "MIRTH" was Samuel Mirth, a renowned clockmaker from Gloucestershire. He was born in 1712 and is known for his highly skilled craftsmanship and the intricate longcase clocks he produced, some of which are still preserved in museums and private collections.

Another individual of note with this surname was Elizabeth Mirth, a poet and writer who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She was born in Warwickshire in 1775 and published several collections of poetry, including "Poems on Various Subjects" in 1802.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mirth

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

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 Mirth 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 Mirth 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 Mirth was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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