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

Towne, 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 Towne surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Towne in America

Towne is the 5231st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Towne surname appeared 6,666 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Towne.

We can also compare 2010 data for Towne 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 Towne

The surname TOWNE is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "tun" meaning an enclosure, such as a farm or homestead. It was originally used as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived in a town or village.

The name is believed to have originated in the areas of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire in England during the 11th century. The earliest recorded use of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name TOWNE was Robert de la Towne, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. Another early record is that of William atte Towne, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

The surname TOWNE has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Towne, Town, Toune, and Toun. These variations often reflect regional dialects and the evolution of the English language.

Some notable historical figures with the surname TOWNE include:

1. Robert Towne (1634-1672), an American colonist and one of the founders of the town of Topsfield, Massachusetts.
2. John Towne (1742-1828), an American merchant and politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts General Court.
3. Charles Towne (1763-1840), an English engraver and artist known for his work in book illustrations and portraiture.
4. Mary Towne (1834-1904), an American author and educator who wrote extensively on women's rights and education.
5. Robert Newton Towne (1856-1926), an American lawyer and diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Belgium and Greece.

The name TOWNE has also been associated with various place names, such as Townville in South Carolina, Townshend in Vermont, and Townville in Pennsylvania, which were likely named after early settlers with the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Towne

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

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

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

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