2000
#9,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,151
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Throckmorton
A locational surname derived from a place in Worcestershire, England, likely meaning "farmstead by a rock in a moor."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,616 Americans carry the last name Throckmorton. That puts it at #9,806 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 94,788 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Throckmorton 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
3.6K
1 in 94,788
Census rank
#9,806
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,153 bearers of the surname Throckmorton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9806th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Throckmorton, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Black (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Throckmorton
The surname Throckmorton is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 13th century. It is believed to derive from the Old English words "þrocian," meaning "to endure or struggle," and "mor," meaning "marsh or moor." The name was likely associated with an area or location where the original bearer resided, possibly in a marshy or swampy region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Worcestershire, a 13th-century census document, where it is listed as "Throckemerton." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been related to a place name, potentially a settlement or manor near a marshy area.
The Throckmorton family played a significant role in English history, particularly during the Tudor period. Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (1515-1571) was a prominent diplomat and ambassador who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his diplomatic skills and was involved in negotiations with various European rulers.
Another notable figure from the Throckmorton family was Sir John Throckmorton (1516-1580), a member of the Catholic gentry who was implicated in the Babington Plot, a conspiracy to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and place Mary, Queen of Scots, on the English throne. He was tried and executed for his involvement in the plot.
In the 17th century, Sir Baynham Throckmorton (1629-1681) was a Member of Parliament and an active supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He fought alongside King Charles I and was later knighted for his loyalty.
The name Throckmorton also appears in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the Domesday Book, which mentions the village of "Throcmertune" in Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name in that area.
Other notable individuals with the surname Throckmorton include Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (1515-1571), an English diplomat and ambassador during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and Job Throckmorton (1545-1601), an English Puritan minister and author who played a role in the Protestant Reformation.
While the surname Throckmorton is not as common today as it once was, its historical significance and connections to notable figures in English history make it a fascinating name to explore and understand its origins and evolution over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Throckmorton
Among Census respondents with the surname Throckmorton, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Black (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Throckmorton 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 Throckmorton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 2,892
- Two or more races3.3% · 105
- Black or African American2.2% · 68
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 59
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Throckmorton
Throckmorton 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
#9,964
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,238
+87 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Down 497 places
2020
#9,806
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,153
-85 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 158 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,467 | 3,151 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,964 | 3,238 | 1.10 | +87 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 497 places |
| 2020 | #9,806 | 3,153 | 1.05 | -85 bearers (-2.6%) | Up 158 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 Throckmorton 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 | #9,964 | #9,806 | 1.6% |
| Count | 3,238 | 3,153 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.10 | 1.05 | -4.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Throckmorton bearers went from 3,238 to 3,153 (-2.6% change). The surname moved up 158 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,964 to #9,806.
FAQ
Throckmorton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Throckmorton?
Name Census estimates that about 3,616 living Americans carry the surname Throckmorton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 94,788 residents.
How common is Throckmorton?
Throckmorton ranks #9,806 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,153 people with the surname Throckmorton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,616), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Throckmorton.
Has Throckmorton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Throckmorton went from 3,238 recorded bearers to 3,153. That is a decrease of 85 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,964 to #9,806.
What does the Census say about the background of Throckmorton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Throckmorton, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Black (2.2%). 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 Throckmorton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (2,892 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Throckmorton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Black (2.2%). 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 Throckmorton (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 Throckmorton mean?
A locational surname derived from a place in Worcestershire, England, likely meaning "farmstead by a rock in a moor." 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 Throckmorton (1.05 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 have the surname Throckmorton?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.