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

Theron, 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 Theron surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Theron in America

Theron is the 99845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Theron surname appeared 181 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 Theron.

We can also compare 2010 data for Theron 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 Theron

The surname Theron has its origins in France, and it can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old French word "thieren," which means "a wild beast." This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have been hunters or lived in areas known for their wildlife.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Theron can be found in the medieval charters of Normandy, dated around the 12th century. These charters mention individuals with variations of the name, such as Theroun and Therouin.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the records of the French region of Picardy, where a village named Thérouanne existed. It is possible that some bearers of the Theron surname originated from this area or were associated with it in some way.

During the 16th century, a notable figure named Jacques Theron (c. 1510-1570) was a French Protestant minister and theologian. He played a significant role in the French Reformation and was known for his efforts to promote the Protestant faith in France.

Another prominent individual with the surname Theron was Étienne Theron (1635-1711), a French priest and philosopher who served as the rector of the University of Paris. He was known for his writings on theology and philosophy.

In the 18th century, Jean-François Theron (1733-1811) was a French military officer and engineer. He served in the French army and was involved in various military campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars.

The name Theron also found its way to other parts of Europe, such as Switzerland. In the 19th century, Jean-Louis Theron (1810-1888) was a Swiss architect and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of civil engineering and the construction of bridges and tunnels.

Another notable figure with the surname Theron was Gustave Theron (1855-1916), a French painter and illustrator. He was known for his works depicting scenes from rural life and landscapes in France.

While the surname Theron is not as common as some other French surnames, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Theron

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

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

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

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