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

Thu, 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 Thu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thu in America

Thu is the 39052nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thu surname appeared 564 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 Thu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thu 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 Thu

The surname Thu is believed to have originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in the areas around modern-day Germany and Switzerland. Its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.

The name Thu is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "tuon," which means "to do" or "to make." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular occupation or trade, possibly referring to someone who was a skilled craftsman or maker of goods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Thu can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Thuringia, Germany, dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions a certain "Johannes Thu," indicating that the name was already in use during that time period.

In the 14th century, there are records of a landowner named Hans Thu in the town of Ravensburg, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. This suggests that the name was not only associated with tradesmen but also with individuals of some social standing and wealth.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Thu. One example is Johann Thu (1541-1609), a German composer and organist who lived during the Renaissance period and worked in the city of Nuremberg.

Another prominent figure was Friedrich Thu (1789-1876), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament during the revolutionary period of 1848-1849.

In the 19th century, there was also a Swiss-born artist named Albert Thu (1838-1920), who was known for his landscape paintings depicting the Swiss Alps and other scenic vistas.

Moving into the 20th century, we find Johannes Thu (1901-1985), a German theologian and professor of New Testament studies who taught at the University of Tübingen.

Finally, it's worth mentioning Gerhard Thu (1927-2002), a German architect and urban planner who made significant contributions to the reconstruction and redesign of several cities in post-war Germany.

While the surname Thu is not among the most common in German-speaking regions, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, politicians, and professionals.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thu

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

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

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

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