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

Topham, 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 Topham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Topham in America

Topham is the 18648th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Topham surname appeared 1,475 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 Topham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Topham 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 Topham

The surname Topham has its origins in England, emerging during the Anglo-Saxon period between the 5th and 11th centuries. It is derived from the Old English words "topp" meaning "top" or "summit" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This suggests that the name likely originated as a place name, referring to a settlement situated at the top of a hill or elevated location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Topham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry "Toppehame" is listed as a manor in the county of Yorkshire, indicating the presence of the name in that region.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Toppham" and "Toppeham" in various medieval records and charters. This variation in spelling was common during that time as standardized spellings were not yet established.

Topham has also been associated with specific place names, such as Topham in Yorkshire and Topham in Buckinghamshire. These locations may have served as the birthplaces or residences of individuals who adopted the surname Topham.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Topham include:

1. John Topham (1628-1670), an English clergyman and writer who published works on theology and religious commentary.

2. Edward Topham (1751-1820), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

3. Francis Topham (1808-1877), a British politician and barrister who served as a Member of Parliament for Portsmouth.

4. Thomas Topham (1787-1853), an English antiquarian and collector of books and manuscripts, renowned for his extensive library.

5. Henry Topham (1864-1942), a British engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in the field of automobile design and manufacturing.

These examples illustrate the presence of the Topham surname across various professions and time periods, reflecting its enduring legacy as a surname of English origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Topham

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

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

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

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