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

Thea, 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 Thea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thea in America

Thea is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thea surname appeared 102 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 Thea.

The history of the last name Thea

The surname Thea is of Greek origin and derives from the Greek word 'thea' meaning 'goddess'. It is believed to have originated in Greece during ancient times.

The name Thea was likely used as a nickname or derived from the names of Greek goddesses such as Theia, the Titan goddess of sight and the shining light of the clear blue sky. Alternatively, it may have come from the name Thetis, a sea nymph in Greek mythology.

Early records of the name Thea can be found in ancient Greek texts and manuscripts, although it was not a common surname at the time. It is thought that the name may have been adopted as a surname during the Byzantine era or later, as Greek names and words became more widespread across Europe.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Thea was Georgios Thea, a Greek scholar and philosopher who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1490). He was known for his work on Greek grammar and his translations of ancient texts.

Another notable bearer of the name was Andrea Thea (1638-1714), an Italian painter and engraver from Venice who was known for his religious works and portraits.

In the 19th century, the name Thea was found in Germany, where it may have been adopted by Greek immigrants or influenced by the Greek roots of the name. One German bearer was Johann Thea (1824-1895), a writer and editor who published works on German literature and culture.

The name Thea also appeared in England, possibly brought over by Greek or Italian immigrants. One example is Samuel Thea (1782-1857), an English engraver and painter who was known for his landscapes and portraits.

In more recent history, the surname Thea has been found in various parts of Europe and the Americas, often among individuals with Greek or Mediterranean ancestry. However, it remains a relatively uncommon surname globally.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thea

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

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 Thea 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.

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

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

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