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

Thies, 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 Thies surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thies in America

Thies is the 7807th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thies surname appeared 4,240 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Thies.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thies 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 Thies

The surname Thies has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Germanic personal name Thidric or Dietrich, which means "people's ruler" or "mighty among the people." This name was commonly used in various parts of Germany during the Middle Ages.

In the early 13th century, the surname Thies emerged as a patronymic form, indicating the son or descendant of someone named Thidric or Dietrich. The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in historical documents from regions like Bavaria, Saxony, and Westphalia.

One notable historical reference to the surname Thies is in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of documents related to the Margraviate of Brandenburg. This manuscript, compiled in the 14th century, includes mentions of individuals bearing the surname Thies, suggesting their presence in the region during that time period.

The name Thies also appears in various local records and chronicles from different parts of Germany, such as the Stadtbücher (city books) of towns like Nuremberg and Leipzig. These books recorded legal transactions, property transfers, and other official matters, providing valuable insights into the lives of individuals with this surname.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Thies, one can mention Johann Thies (1588-1657), a German theologian and professor at the University of Wittenberg, who made significant contributions to the field of Lutheran theology during the 17th century.

Another prominent individual was Friedrich Thies (1793-1854), a German architect and urban planner who played a crucial role in the development of the city of Berlin during the 19th century. His works included the design of several notable buildings and the construction of the Wilhelmstraße, a major street in Berlin.

In the realm of literature, Theodor Thies (1852-1924) was a German writer and poet known for his works exploring themes of nature and rural life. His poetic collections, such as "Naturklänge" (Nature Sounds), gained popularity during the late 19th century.

The name Thies was also associated with places and regions in Germany. For instance, the village of Thiessow on the island of Rügen was historically spelled as "Thies" or "Thyse," reflecting the influence of the surname on local place names.

Moreover, the surname Thies has been linked to various variations and spellings throughout history, such as Thys, Thyss, Thiess, and Thieß, reflecting regional linguistic differences and variations in the spelling of Germanic names over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thies

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

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

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

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