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

Thetford, 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 Thetford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thetford in America

Thetford is the 20382nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thetford surname appeared 1,304 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 Thetford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thetford 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 Thetford

The surname THETFORD is an English locational surname that originated in the town of Thetford, located in Norfolk, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "þet" meaning a place where two rivers meet, and "ford" meaning a shallow crossing or ford. This reflects the town's location at the crossing of the River Thet and the Little Ouse.

The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Tedfort" and "Tetford." This early spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during the medieval period. The town of Thetford itself has a rich history, being an important center for trade and commerce during the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname THETFORD was Robert de Thetford, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1199. Another early bearer of the name was John de Thetford, a monk who lived in the 13th century and was known for his writings on theology and philosophy.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, where a William Thetford is listed. During the same time period, a Richard Thetford was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1349.

A notable figure in the 15th century was John Thetford (c. 1420 – c. 1490), a English composer and music theorist who served as a canon at the Collegiate Church of St. Mary in Thetford. His works include sacred music and treatises on music theory.

In the 16th century, the THETFORD surname gained prominence with the rise of Thomas Thetford (c. 1515 – 1597), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and contributed to the construction of several churches and charitable institutions in the region.

As the surname spread beyond its place of origin, it took on various spellings, such as Thetford, Thetforde, and Thetforth. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in record-keeping and spelling during the medieval and early modern periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thetford

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

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

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

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