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

Thunder, 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 Thunder surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thunder in America

Thunder is the 42378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thunder surname appeared 512 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 Thunder.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thunder 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 Thunder

The surname Thunder is believed to have originated in England during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "þunor," which means "thunder." The name likely referred to a person who had a booming voice or a loud, thunderous demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a man named Willelmus Thunder is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century in northern England.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as Thundor, Thunor, and Tundor, reflecting the different spellings and pronunciations of the time. During this period, the name was primarily concentrated in Yorkshire and the surrounding areas.

In the 14th century, the surname Thunder began to spread to other parts of England. One notable bearer of the name was John Thunder, a yeoman from Lincolnshire, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname Thunder continued to be found in various records across England. One example is Robert Thunder, a merchant from London, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1524.

In the 17th century, the surname Thunder gained some prominence with the existence of John Thunder, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1619 to 1688. He is known for his works on religious topics, including "Vindication of the Church of England" and "Discourse on the Christian Covenant."

Another notable bearer of the name was William Thunder, a British naval officer who served during the 18th century. He was born in 1721 and served in the Royal Navy, participating in several battles during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Thunder was Sir William Thunder, a British judge and politician who lived from 1803 to 1878. He served as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas and was also a member of the House of Commons, representing various constituencies in England.

While the surname Thunder has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration. However, it remains a relatively uncommon surname globally.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thunder

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

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

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

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