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

Tewksbury, 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 Tewksbury surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tewksbury in America

Tewksbury is the 21382nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tewksbury surname appeared 1,224 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 Tewksbury.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tewksbury 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 Tewksbury

The surname Tewksbury has its origins in England, dating back to the 11th century. The name is derived from the town of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, which was originally recorded as "Teodecesbyrig" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is composed of Old English elements, with "Teodec" meaning "the people of Tetta" and "byrig" meaning "a fortified place or town."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tewksbury can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1197, which mention a Walter de Teukesbury. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century.

Throughout the medieval period, the Tewksbury family was prominent in the region around the town of Tewkesbury. In the 13th century, a John de Tewkesbury was recorded as a landowner in the area. Another notable figure was Sir Walter de Tewkesbury, who fought alongside King Edward I in the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

The surname Tewksbury has also been associated with religious figures. In the 15th century, a monk named John Tewkesbury served as the Abbot of Tewkesbury Abbey, one of the most influential monasteries in England at the time.

During the Tudor period, the Tewksbury family gained further prominence. Thomas Tewksbury (1499-1572) was a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers in London. His son, John Tewksbury (1534-1612), was a respected lawyer and served as a Member of Parliament for Ludgershall in 1589.

Another notable figure was Sir Hugh Tewksbury (1568-1636), who served as a military commander and diplomat during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. He participated in several expeditions to the Americas and was knighted for his service in 1603.

As the surname spread beyond its place of origin, it underwent various spelling variations, including Tewkesbury, Tooksbury, and Tuxbury. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its connection to the historic town of Tewkesbury and its rich heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tewksbury

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

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

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

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