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

Thurber, 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 Thurber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thurber in America

Thurber is the 7825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thurber surname appeared 4,232 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 Thurber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thurber 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 Thurber

The surname Thurber has its roots in the Old English language and is derived from the word "thur," which means "cross." The name is believed to have originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, possibly as early as the 7th century AD.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Thurburc" and "Thurbern." These entries suggest that the name was initially associated with people who lived near a cross or a crossing point, such as a river or road intersection.

During the Middle Ages, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Thurber, Thurbare, Thurburgh, and Thurbarne. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic influences of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was William Thurber, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1201. Another notable individual was John Thurber, a prominent merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Thurber was found in various parts of England, including Shropshire, Warwickshire, and Somerset. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Thurber, a clergyman and author who lived from 1532 to 1597.

The surname Thurber has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Thurber's Green in Warwickshire and Thurber's Hill in Somerset. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Thurber surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Among the more famous individuals with the surname Thurber are James Thurber (1894-1961), an American cartoonist, author, and humorist, known for his contributions to The New Yorker magazine and his books such as "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." Another notable figure is Jonathan Thurber (1719-1801), an American Revolutionary War soldier and one of the founders of Burrillville, Rhode Island.

Other bearers of the Thurber surname include Henry Thurber (1786-1849), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Thurber Medical Association in New York City, and Charles Thurber (1823-1906), an American businessman and inventor who developed the first practical typewriter ribbon.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thurber

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

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

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

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