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

Townes, 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 Townes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Townes in America

Townes is the 6669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Townes surname appeared 5,067 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 Townes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Townes 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 Townes

The surname Townes is of English origin, stemming from the Old English word "tun" which means an enclosed homestead or village. It likely originated as a locational name, indicating someone who resided in a particular town or village.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Townes can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. It was often spelled as "Tone," "Toun," or "Toune" in ancient records and manuscripts.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William de Tone, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273. Another notable individual was John Towne, a member of the Parliament of England who served during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the spelling "Townes" became more prevalent, and the name was associated with several prominent figures. One such person was Robert Townes, a renowned English composer and organist who lived from 1525 to 1597.

During the 17th century, the Townes family played a significant role in the colonization of America. William Townes, born in 1601 in England, was among the early settlers in Virginia, establishing roots in the New World.

Another notable bearer of the Townes surname was Charles Townes, an American physicist and Nobel Prize laureate. Born in 1915, he is best known for his pioneering work in the development of the maser and laser technologies, earning him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964.

Other historical figures with the surname Townes include John Townes, a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London during the late 18th century, and Henry Townes, an American politician and statesman who served as a U.S. Senator from Georgia in the early 19th century.

The Townes surname has also been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Townesend in Kent, England, and Townesville in Queensland, Australia, which were likely derived from the surname itself or influenced by its origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Townes

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

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

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

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