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

Tardy, 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 Tardy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tardy in America

Tardy is the 15938th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tardy surname appeared 1,823 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tardy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tardy 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 Tardy

The surname Tardy originated in France during the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old French word "tarde," meaning late or slow. This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who was habitually late or sluggish in their actions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tardy can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Tardi," referring to a landowner in the county of Sussex.

In the 12th century, the name Tardy appeared in various charters and records in the region of Normandy, France. This suggests that the name may have originated in this area before spreading to other parts of the country.

During the 13th century, the name Tardy was associated with several notable individuals. One example is Robert Tardy, a French cleric who served as the Bishop of Avranches from 1238 to 1248.

In the 14th century, the name Tardy was linked to the place name "Tardivaux," which was a small village in the Champagne region of France. This suggests that some bearers of the name may have taken it from this location.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Tardy was Jean Tardy, a French Renaissance painter who lived from around 1510 to 1565. He is known for his religious works and portraits, many of which can be found in churches and museums throughout France.

In the 17th century, the name Tardy was associated with the wealthy merchant and landowner Pierre Tardy, who lived from 1610 to 1677 in the city of Lyon, France. He was known for his extensive business dealings and his involvement in local politics.

Another notable figure with the surname Tardy was Jacques Tardy, a French military officer who lived from 1748 to 1821. He served in the French Revolutionary Wars and rose to the rank of general under Napoleon Bonaparte.

Throughout its history, the surname Tardy has maintained its connection to its French origins, with many bearers of the name continuing to reside in various regions of France. While the name has spread to other countries over time, its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages in France, where it was likely given as a descriptive nickname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tardy

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

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

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

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