2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Thivener
A name of uncertain origin, possibly relating to someone who works with hay or fodder.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Thivener. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thivener surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Thivener in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thivener, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Thivener
The surname Thivener has its roots in the Normandy region of northern France, tracing back to the 11th century. The name is believed to have originated from the Old French word "tivener," which referred to a maker or seller of woolen cloth called "tiretaine." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been involved in the textile trade, particularly the production or distribution of a type of coarse woolen fabric.
In the early medieval period, surnames were often derived from occupations, and the Thivener name likely followed this pattern. As the use of surnames became more widespread in Europe, the name would have been adopted by families engaged in the manufacture or sale of woolen goods, perhaps in the thriving textile centers of Normandy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a "Radulfus Tivener" in Lincolnshire, indicating that the name had already taken root in England by the late 11th century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Tivener, Tyvener, and Thyvener, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in that era. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the inconsistencies in written records at the time.
One notable individual bearing the Thivener surname was Jean Thivener, a merchant and landowner who lived in the 14th century in the town of Caen, Normandy. Records from the time indicate that he possessed substantial wealth and property, suggesting that his family had achieved success in the textile trade.
Another prominent figure was William Thivener, born in 1482 in Somerset, England. He was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Chancellor of Wells Cathedral and later became the Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1542. His scholarly works on religious doctrine and church governance were widely circulated during the English Reformation.
In the 17th century, a man named Pierre Thivener gained fame as a skilled clockmaker in the city of Rouen, France. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by wealthy patrons, and some of his works are still preserved in museum collections today.
The name also gained recognition in the literary world through the work of the 18th-century French writer and poet, Marie-Jeanne Thivener. Her collection of poetry, titled "Recueil de Poésies," earned her praise from critics and established her as a prominent figure in the Parisian literary circles of her time.
In the early 19th century, a British explorer named Robert Thivener embarked on several expeditions to the interior of Africa. His detailed accounts of his travels and encounters with indigenous communities provided valuable insights into the continent's geography, cultures, and natural resources.
While the surname Thivener is not among the most common today, its rich history and diverse bearers have left an indelible mark across various fields, from commerce and industry to religion, literature, and exploration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thivener
Among Census respondents with the surname Thivener, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Thivener bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Thivener surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 116
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Thivener
Thivener appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#131,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
+23 bearers (+21.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 12,468 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-11 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,132 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #131,379 | 129 | 0.04 | +23 bearers (+21.7%) | Up 12,468 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 12,132 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Thivener surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #131,379 | #143,511 | -9.2% |
| Count | 129 | 118 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Thivener bearers went from 129 to 118 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 12,132 positions in the national ranking, going from #131,379 to #143,511.
FAQ
Thivener surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Thivener?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Thivener. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Thivener?
Thivener ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Thivener. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Thivener.
Has Thivener become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Thivener went from 129 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #131,379 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Thivener?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thivener, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Thivener in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (116 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Thivener appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), Hispanic (0.8%), Two or More Races (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Thivener (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Thivener mean?
A name of uncertain origin, possibly relating to someone who works with hay or fodder. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Thivener (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Thivener?
Find out how many people are called Thivener on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.