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

Tevis, 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 Tevis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tevis in America

Tevis is the 18614th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tevis surname appeared 1,479 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 Tevis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tevis 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 Tevis

The surname Tevis has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "tevisse," which means a beaver or otter. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a stream or river frequented by beavers or otters.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1273, where it appears as "Tevys." The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled in England in the late 13th century, documenting the landholders and their holdings.

In the 14th century, the name was also documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, where it was spelled "Teves." These rolls were tax records that listed individuals who were required to pay a subsidy, or tax, to the Crown.

One notable early bearer of the surname was John Tevis, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1450. He was a merchant and landowner, and his name appears in various records from the late 15th century.

Another historical figure with the surname Tevis was Richard Tevis, born in Warwickshire, England, in 1576. He was a prominent Puritan minister and author, known for his work "A Treatise on the Doctrine of the Trinity."

In the 17th century, the name was found in various parish records across England, with spellings such as "Teavis," "Teavys," and "Tevys." It is believed that some individuals with this surname may have been among the early settlers who migrated to the American colonies.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America was that of Thomas Tevis, who was born in Virginia in 1690. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the United States.

Another notable American with the surname Tevis was Walter Tevis, an acclaimed novelist and short story writer. He was born in San Francisco, California, in 1928 and is best known for his works "The Hustler," "The Color of Money," and "The Man Who Fell to Earth."

Throughout history, there have been several variations in the spelling of the surname, including Tevis, Teves, Teviss, Tevys, and Teavis. However, the origins of the name can be traced back to its locational roots in England, where it was likely derived from a place associated with beavers or otters.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tevis

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!