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

Towle, 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 Towle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Towle in America

Towle is the 7961st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Towle surname appeared 4,156 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 Towle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Towle 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 Towle

The surname Towle originates from England and can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, around the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "toll," which referred to a payment or tax collected at a tollgate or bridge.

The name was initially associated with individuals who lived near a toll or worked as toll collectors. The earliest recorded example of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Tola in Essex.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Tole, Tolle, and Towell, before settling into its modern form, Towle. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Towle spelling dates back to the 13th century, when a John Towle was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273.

During the medieval period, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Essex, Oxfordshire, and Hertfordshire, where many Towle families were landowners or involved in local trade and commerce.

One notable figure bearing the Towle surname was Sir William Towle, a wealthy merchant and alderman of the City of London in the late 16th century. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1596 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Towle (1608-1677), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Twickenham and wrote several religious works, including a commentary on the Book of Psalms.

In the 18th century, the Towle family established a significant presence in the American colonies, with several members settling in New England. Benjamin Towle (1712-1790), a silversmith from Massachusetts, became famous for his intricate silverware designs and contributed to the development of the American silver trade.

The 19th century saw the rise of William Towle (1809-1889), a successful industrialist and manufacturer from Massachusetts. He founded the Towle Manufacturing Company, which became renowned for producing high-quality flatware and silverware.

Lastly, John Towle (1858-1938), an English cricketer, played for the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and was known for his exceptional batting skills. He played in several first-class matches between 1879 and 1890.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Towle

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

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

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

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