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

Tholen, 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 Tholen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tholen in America

Tholen is the 28049th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tholen surname appeared 854 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 Tholen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tholen 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 Tholen

The surname Tholen originated from the Netherlands, where it first appeared in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch place name Tolen, a town located in the southwestern part of the country. The name Tolen itself may have its roots in the Old Dutch word "tol," which meant "toll" or "tax," suggesting that the town may have been a center for collecting tolls or taxes in its early history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tholen can be found in the Dutch baptismal records of the 17th century. For example, in 1642, a child named Maria Tholen was baptized in the town of Nieuw-Vossemeer, located in the province of Zeeland.

The surname Tholen has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Gerrit Tholen (1572-1635), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. His works can be found in various museums across the Netherlands and Belgium.

Another prominent figure with the surname Tholen was Willem Tholen (1719-1776), a Dutch mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In the 19th century, Cornelis Tholen (1821-1891) was a Dutch politician and journalist who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Netherlands. He was also the editor of several influential newspapers during his lifetime.

The surname Tholen also appeared in the literary world with the Dutch author and poet Willem Tholen (1862-1928). He was known for his works that explored themes of nature and rural life in the Netherlands.

In more recent history, Joop Tholen (1922-2007) was a Dutch artist and sculptor who gained recognition for his abstract works in various media, including bronze, stone, and steel. His sculptures can be found in public spaces throughout the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.

While the surname Tholen has its origins in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Dutch emigration and trade routes. However, its earliest roots and most significant historical references can be traced back to the Netherlands and the Dutch language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tholen

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

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

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

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