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

Tho, 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 Tho surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tho in America

Tho is the 61123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tho surname appeared 329 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 Tho.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tho 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 Tho

The surname "Tho" is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, specifically in the region of Gelderland. The name dates back to the 12th century and is thought to be derived from the Old Dutch word "thoe," meaning "fence" or "enclosure." This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived near or worked with fences or enclosures.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Gelderland town records of Arnhem in the year 1287, where a man named "Henricus de Thoe" is mentioned. This indicates that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name spread to other parts of the Netherlands, as well as to neighboring regions such as parts of Germany and Belgium. In these areas, the name was sometimes spelled as "Thoo" or "Thou," reflecting local dialect variations.

Notable individuals bearing the surname "Tho" in history include Jan Tho (1510-1585), a Dutch painter from Utrecht known for his religious works and portraits. Another prominent figure was Pieter Tho (1568-1648), a Dutch mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of navigation.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the records of the Dutch East India Company, with several sailors and merchants bearing the surname "Tho" traveling to various parts of the world for trade and exploration. One such individual was Willem Tho (1620-1692), a Dutch merchant who established trade routes in the East Indies.

Moving into the 18th century, the name continued to be found in various parts of Europe. For example, Johann Tho (1738-1810) was a German composer and organist who made notable contributions to church music during the Classical period.

Another prominent figure was Lodewijk Tho (1789-1857), a Dutch politician and lawyer who played a significant role in the drafting of the Dutch Constitution during the early years of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

As the centuries progressed, the surname "Tho" spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration, particularly to regions with Dutch or European settlements. However, it is important to note that the name's origins can be traced back to the Netherlands, where it first emerged and gained prominence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tho

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

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

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

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