2000
#28,142
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 801
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.30
Rare Last name
Thurgood
A variant form of the English surname Thoroughgood, derived from the Old English words "thuruh" (through) and "god" (good).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,140 Americans carry the last name Thurgood. That puts it at #25,932 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 300,662 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thurgood 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Thurgood with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 300,662
Census rank
#25,932
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
994
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 994 bearers of the surname Thurgood in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25932nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thurgood, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Thurgood
The surname THURGOOD is of English origin, derived from a medieval place name meaning "the good thorpe" or "the good village." It is believed to have originated in the county of Norfolk, England, during the early Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname THURGOOD can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record compiled in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I. The name is listed as "Thurghod," which was likely an early spelling variation.
As the surname evolved over time, it took on various spellings, including Thurgoode, Thurgood, and Thurgude. These variations can be found in various historical records, such as parish registers, tax rolls, and court documents from the 14th to 17th centuries.
In the late 16th century, the THURGOOD surname appeared in the records of the Norfolk Visitation, a survey of noble and gentry families conducted by the College of Arms. This suggests that some families bearing the name had achieved a certain level of social standing by that time.
One notable individual with the surname THURGOOD was Robert Thurgood (c. 1623-1663), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Trent, Somerset. He published several theological works, including "A Vindication of the Protestant Doctrine of Justification" in 1658.
Another figure of historical significance was Benjamin Thurgood (1732-1795), an English Particular Baptist minister and theologian from Bristol. He was a prominent figure in the Baptist community of his time and authored several influential works on Baptist doctrine and church governance.
In the 19th century, the THURGOOD surname gained prominence with the birth of Amos Thurgood (1810-1888), a successful businessman and industrialist from Gloucestershire, England. He founded the Thurgood Ironworks, which played a significant role in the region's industrial development during the Victorian era.
Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname THURGOOD was Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993), the first African American to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Although not directly related to the English surname, his name has become synonymous with the fight for civil rights and racial equality in American history.
While these are just a few examples, the surname THURGOOD has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins rooted in the English countryside and evolving to become a name associated with various notable figures across different fields and eras.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thurgood
Among Census respondents with the surname Thurgood, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Thurgood 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 Thurgood surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 915
- Two or more races3.4% · 34
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 22
- Black or African American1.7% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Thurgood
Thurgood 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
#25,701
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 959
+158 bearers (+19.7%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Up 2,441 places
2020
#25,932
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 994
+35 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Down 231 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #28,142 | 801 | 0.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,701 | 959 | 0.33 | +158 bearers (+19.7%) | Up 2,441 places |
| 2020 | #25,932 | 994 | 0.33 | +35 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 231 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 Thurgood 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 | #25,701 | #25,932 | -0.9% |
| Count | 959 | 994 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Thurgood bearers went from 959 to 994 (+3.6% change). The surname moved down 231 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,701 to #25,932.
FAQ
Thurgood surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Thurgood?
Name Census estimates that about 1,140 living Americans carry the surname Thurgood. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 300,662 residents.
How common is Thurgood?
Thurgood ranks #25,932 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 994 people with the surname Thurgood. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,140), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.33 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.33 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Thurgood.
Has Thurgood become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Thurgood went from 959 recorded bearers to 994. That is an increase of 35 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #25,701 to #25,932.
What does the Census say about the background of Thurgood?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thurgood, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (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 Thurgood in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (915 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Thurgood appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (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 Thurgood (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 Thurgood mean?
A variant form of the English surname Thoroughgood, derived from the Old English words "thuruh" (through) and "god" (good). 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 Thurgood (0.33 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 Thurgood?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.