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

Thew, 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 Thew surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thew in America

Thew is the 35993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thew surname appeared 623 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 Thew.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thew 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 Thew

The surname "THEW" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "theaw," which meant "servant" or "attendant." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as an occupational surname to individuals who served in households or manors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire, which date back to 1176. The entry mentions a person named William le Thew, indicating the use of the surname during that era. It is possible that the name was also influenced by the Old Norse word "þjófr," meaning "thief" or "robber," though this connection is less certain.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Thew," "Thewe," and "Theawe," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 include a reference to a person named Alanus le Thewe, further solidifying the presence of the name in historical records.

While the surname "THEW" is not particularly widespread, it has been associated with notable individuals throughout history. One such example is William Thew, an English lawyer and politician who lived in the 16th century (c. 1520-1584). He served as a Member of Parliament for Guildford in 1553 and played a role in the legal affairs of his time.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname was Richard Thew (c. 1610-1688), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Caius College, Cambridge, from 1667 until his death. He was known for his contributions to the university and his scholarly works.

In the 18th century, John Thew (c. 1725-1795) was a prominent English landscape gardener and architect. He designed and landscaped several notable estates and gardens, including parts of the grounds at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire.

Moving into the 19th century, Robert Thew (1758-1820) was an English artist and engraver known for his landscapes and topographical views. His engravings captured various scenes across England and provided valuable visual records of the time.

Lastly, Edward Thew Wright (1863-1923) was a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of aircraft and aeronautics. He designed and built several early aircraft models and was a pioneer in the field of aviation.

These examples illustrate the presence of the surname "THEW" throughout various periods of history and across different professions, showcasing the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thew

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

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

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

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