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

Thurman, 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 Thurman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thurman in America

Thurman is the 1492nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thurman surname appeared 23,950 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Thurman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thurman 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 Thurman

The surname Thurman has its origins in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "þunor" (meaning "thunder") and "mann" (meaning "man"), suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who was particularly loud or boisterous.

Historical records indicate that the Thurman name was predominantly found in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where it was often associated with landowners and farmers. One notable early reference can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a "Thurmannus de Bingley."

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Thurman surname. However, it does include entries for places like Thurmanby and Thurmundesbi, which may have influenced the development of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Thurman surname was Sir Roger Thurman, a knight who lived in the 13th century and was involved in the Second Barons' War against King Henry III. Another notable Thurman was John Thurman, a merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Thurman name became more widespread across England, with several individuals bearing the surname making their mark in various fields. For instance, William Thurman (1557-1622) was a prominent Puritan clergyman and author, known for his published sermons and theological writings.

In the 18th century, the Thurman family produced several notable figures, including Edward Thurman (1707-1775), a successful businessman and landowner in Lincolnshire, and John Thurman (1733-1810), a renowned architect who designed several churches and country houses in the Georgian style.

As the British Empire expanded, the Thurman name also found its way to other parts of the world. One example is Sir Edward Thurman (1810-1888), a British colonial administrator who served as Lieutenant Governor of the North-Western Provinces in India during the latter part of the 19th century.

While the Thurman surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Thurmand, Thurmon, and Thurmond, its origins can be traced back to the Old English words that reflect the powerful and thunderous nature associated with the name's earliest bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thurman

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

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

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

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