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

Theard, 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 Theard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Theard in America

Theard is the 40976th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Theard surname appeared 532 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 Theard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Theard 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 Theard

The surname Theard is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is derived from the Old French word "thier," meaning "strong" or "robust." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who possessed exceptional physical strength or a formidable presence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Theard can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a "Robertus Thiard" who held land in the county of Oxfordshire, England, indicating that the name had already spread beyond the borders of France by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, the name Theard appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, often associated with members of the minor nobility or landed gentry. One notable figure was Sir Étienne Theard, a knight who fought alongside King Louis IX of France during the Seventh Crusade in the mid-1200s.

In the 15th century, the name Theard gained prominence in the region of Normandy, where it was sometimes spelled as "Théard" or "Thiard." A famous bearer of the name during this period was Jean Theard (c. 1420-1492), a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a counselor to the Parlement of Paris.

As the name spread throughout France and into other parts of Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Thard," "Thiard," and "Thyard." One notable individual bearing this surname was Pierre Thard (1572-1636), a French Protestant theologian and writer who authored several influential works on religious doctrine and philosophy.

In the 19th century, the Theard surname appeared prominently in the region of Brittany, where it was sometimes associated with the place name "Théardiville." One notable figure from this era was Émile Theard (1819-1894), a renowned painter and artist who specialized in landscapes and seascapes, capturing the rugged beauty of the Breton coastline.

Throughout its history, the surname Theard has been carried by a diverse range of individuals, from knights and nobles to scholars, artists, and theologians. While its origins can be traced back to medieval France and the idea of physical strength or robustness, the name has taken on a rich tapestry of meanings and associations over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Theard

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

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

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

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