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

Tilbury, 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 Tilbury surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tilbury in America

Tilbury is the 32632nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tilbury surname appeared 704 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 Tilbury.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tilbury 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 Tilbury

The surname Tilbury is of English origin and is believed to have originated from the town of the same name in Essex, England. The name Tilbury itself is derived from the Old English words "tili" meaning "a plank or piece of wood" and "byrig" meaning "a fortified place or town."

The earliest recorded mention of the name Tilbury dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Tilleberie." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the area at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the Middle Ages, Tilbury was a strategically important town due to its location on the River Thames. It was the site of a significant fort, and the town's name often appeared in historical records and documents related to military affairs and fortifications.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Tilbury was Sir John Tilbury, a knight who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Edward I and participated in several military campaigns.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Tilbury, a 14th-century clergyman and scholar who served as the Chancellor of Oxford University from 1349 to 1350. He was renowned for his writings on logic and philosophy.

In the 16th century, Gervase Tilbury was an English writer and scholar who served as the tutor to the sons of King Henry II. His work, "Otia Imperialia," a collection of stories and anecdotes, remains an important source of information about the culture and customs of medieval Europe.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Colonel Samuel Tilbury was a Parliamentarian officer who played a significant role in the defense of London against the Royalist forces.

Another notable figure was Admiral John Tilbury, who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century. He gained recognition for his involvement in several naval battles and campaigns, including the Seven Years' War.

Over the centuries, the Tilbury surname has been associated with various locations, including Tilbury Juxta Clare in Suffolk, Tilbury Fort in Essex, and Tilbury Docks, which were once a major port and shipbuilding center.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tilbury

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

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

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

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