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

Thich, 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 Thich surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thich in America

Thich is the 124548th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thich surname appeared 138 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 Thich.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thich 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 Thich

The surname "THICH" is believed to have originated in Vietnam, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 15th century. The name is derived from the Vietnamese word "Thích," which means "monk" or "Buddhist priest." This suggests that the name may have been initially adopted by individuals associated with Buddhist monasteries or temples.

During the reign of the Lý Dynasty (1009-1225), Buddhism experienced a significant revival in Vietnam, leading to an increase in the number of monasteries and monks. It is likely that some of these monks or their families adopted the surname "THICH" as a way to identify their religious affiliation or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "THICH" can be found in the historical records of the Trần Dynasty (1225-1400). A Buddhist monk named Thích Trí Khải (1230-1290) is mentioned as a prominent figure who played a crucial role in the development of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism during this period.

In the 15th century, during the reign of the Lê Dynasty (1428-1788), a renowned Buddhist scholar and poet named Thích Đạo Hạnh (1440-1497) gained recognition for his contributions to Vietnamese literature and philosophy.

Another notable figure bearing the surname "THICH" was Thích Quảng Đức (1897-1963), a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who famously self-immolated in protest against the persecution of Buddhists by the Ngô Đình Diệm regime in 1963. His act of sacrifice became a powerful symbol of resistance and played a significant role in the Buddhist crisis that ultimately led to the overthrow of Diệm's government.

In more recent times, Thích Nhất Hạnh (born 1926) has become a prominent figure in the promotion of mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism globally. His teachings and writings have gained him international recognition and a large following worldwide.

It is important to note that while the surname "THICH" is closely associated with Buddhism in Vietnam, not all individuals with this surname may have direct ties to the religion or monastic orders. Over time, the name may have been adopted by families and individuals unrelated to the original Buddhist context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thich

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

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

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

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