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

Thigpen, 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 Thigpen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thigpen in America

Thigpen is the 3784th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thigpen surname appeared 9,359 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Thigpen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thigpen 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 Thigpen

The surname Thigpen has its origins in England, originating in the late 15th or early 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called "Thickpen" or "Thickpenn," which could have been located in either Devon or Somerset. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "thicc," meaning thick or dense, and "penn," referring to a pen or enclosure for livestock.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1524, where a Thomas Thigpen is mentioned. The name also appears in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a document listing those who swore allegiance to the Protestant religion, which includes individuals with the surname Thigpen from various counties in England.

The surname Thigpen has several variations in spelling throughout history, including Thickpen, Thickpenn, Thikpen, and Thigpen. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that time period.

In terms of historical figures bearing the Thigpen surname, one notable individual was Sir John Thigpen (1604-1671), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the 17th century. Another notable figure was William Thigpen (1734-1798), an American planter and politician from Virginia who served in the House of Burgesses and the Virginia Convention.

Other individuals of note include James Thigpen (1768-1836), an American farmer and landowner from North Carolina, and Thomas Thigpen (1801-1873), a Methodist minister and circuit rider in Alabama during the early 19th century. Additionally, Samuel Thigpen (1820-1895) was a Baptist minister and educator in Mississippi, known for founding the Thigpen Institute, a private school.

The surname Thigpen has a rich history dating back several centuries, with its roots firmly planted in the English countryside. Despite variations in spelling and pronunciation over time, the name has endured and can be found in historical records spanning multiple countries and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thigpen

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

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

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

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