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

Thurston, 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 Thurston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thurston in America

Thurston is the 2385th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thurston surname appeared 15,234 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Thurston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thurston 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 Thurston

The surname Thurston originates from England and dates back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "þunor" meaning thunder and "tun" meaning an enclosure or farm, thus suggesting it may have originally referred to someone who lived at a location where thunder was commonly heard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thurston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a settlement called "Thurstonestonam" in Suffolk, which likely derived its name from an early bearer of the Thurston surname.

During the 12th century, a notable individual named Geoffrey Thurston served as the Archdeacon of Norwich from 1175 to 1200. He played a significant role in the administration of the Norwich Diocese and was a prominent figure in the local community.

In the 13th century, a place called Thurston Ville existed in Norfolk, which further reinforces the connection between the surname and geographical locations. This place name likely originated from an individual with the surname Thurston who owned or resided in that area.

Sir John Thurston, who lived from 1437 to 1511, was a notable figure during the Wars of the Roses. He fought alongside Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and was later knighted for his loyalty and bravery.

Another prominent individual with the surname Thurston was Robert Thurston, born in 1608. He was an English Puritan minister who immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636 and played a significant role in the establishment of the town of Dedham, Massachusetts.

Throughout the centuries, variations in the spelling of the surname Thurston have been observed, including Thurstan, Thurstone, and Thurstane. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and variations in pronunciation over time.

Overall, the surname Thurston has deep roots in English history, tracing back to the medieval period and reflecting connections to specific geographic locations and notable individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thurston

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

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

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

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