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

Thrift, 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 Thrift surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thrift in America

Thrift is the 9780th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thrift surname appeared 3,313 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 Thrift.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thrift 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 Thrift

The surname Thrift is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "thrift," meaning prosperity, thriving, or success. Initially, it was likely used as a descriptive name or a nickname for someone who was considered prosperous or successful in their endeavors.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Thrift can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1195, where it appears as "Thrifth." This suggests that the name was already in use by that time. In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, the name is recorded as "Thrift."

During the Middle Ages, the name Thrift appeared in various records and documents across England. One notable example is the Domesday Book of 1086, where a place name "Thriftwelle" (meaning "prosperous spring") is mentioned in Lincolnshire. This place name may have contributed to the development of the surname.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure bearing the name Thrift was Sir John Thrift (c. 1310 - 1370), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Norfolk. He served as the Mayor of Norwich in 1360 and was a member of the Parliament of England.

Another notable individual with the surname Thrift was William Thrift (1550 - 1614), an English theologian and clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Canterbury from 1608 until his death.

In the 17th century, John Thrift (1635 - 1701) was a prominent English philosopher and writer. He is best known for his work "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding," which had a significant influence on the development of modern philosophy.

Towards the end of the 18th century, Mary Thrift (1770 - 1842) gained recognition as a successful author and poet. Her collection of poems, "Verses on Various Occasions," published in 1810, received critical acclaim.

In the 19th century, Samuel Thrift (1815 - 1895) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the St. Paul's Cathedral in London and the Royal Albert Hall.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Thrift throughout history. The name has been associated with prosperity, success, and thriving, reflecting its etymological roots in the Old English language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thrift

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

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

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

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