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

Towles, 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 Towles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Towles in America

Towles is the 12889th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Towles surname appeared 2,386 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 Towles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Towles 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 Towles

The surname Towles is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "tun," meaning an enclosure or a small settlement, combined with the word "hyll," signifying a hill. Thus, the name likely originated from a place name, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname hailed from a hillside village or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Towles can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Tunhyll," referring to a location near present-day Hampshire.

By the 13th century, the surname had evolved into various spellings, such as Townhill, Townell, and Townshill, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. These early spellings provide insights into the name's development and its association with specific localities.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Towles throughout history include Sir John Towles (1568-1634), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Salisbury during the reign of King James I. Another noteworthy figure was Richard Towles (1670-1736), a renowned architect and master builder responsible for designing several churches and estates in the county of Wiltshire.

In the 18th century, the Towles family gained recognition through the accomplishments of William Towles (1712-1792), a highly regarded philosopher and author whose works contributed to the Enlightenment movement. His contemporary, Elizabeth Towles (1724-1805), was a celebrated poet and playwright, known for her poignant verses and influential literary contributions.

During the 19th century, the name Towles gained further prominence with the emergence of Sir Edward Towles (1818-1896), a distinguished military officer and colonial administrator who played a pivotal role in the expansion of the British Empire in India and Africa.

While the surname Towles has its origins in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals who migrated to different regions over the centuries. However, its rich history and connection to the English countryside remain etched in its etymology and the legacy of those who have borne this name throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Towles

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

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

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

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