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

Towns, 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 Towns surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Towns in America

Towns is the 4569th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Towns surname appeared 7,760 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Towns.

We can also compare 2010 data for Towns 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 Towns

The surname TOWNS is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "tun" meaning an enclosed area or a village. It likely emerged during the medieval period in England, with some of the earliest known recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. The name initially referred to people who hailed from a specific town or village, often used as a descriptive term to distinguish individuals of the same given name.

TOWNS is a locational surname, and many early bearers of this name can be traced back to various towns and villages across England, such as Townson from Townsend in Derbyshire, Townrow from Townroe in Lancashire, and Townley from the township of Townley in Yorkshire. The name's spelling has varied over time, with alternative forms like Towne, Toun, and Toun appearing in historical records.

One notable historical reference to the name TOWNS can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded landowners and their properties across England. The Hundred Rolls mention individuals with the surname, such as William de la Toune and John atte Toune, further solidifying the name's early roots in medieval England.

Among the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname TOWNS is John Towne, a merchant from London who lived in the late 14th century. Another early bearer of the name was William Towne, a landowner from Suffolk, who was mentioned in a deed dated 1428.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname TOWNS. One such person was Robert Towne (c. 1542-1621), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another was Thomas Towne (1608-1692), one of the early settlers of Salem, Massachusetts, who arrived in the New World aboard the ship Hopewell in 1635.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Nathaniel Towne (1808-1857), an American writer and poet who penned works such as "The Emigrant's Farewell" and "The Backwoodsman." A more recent figure with the surname TOWNS was Charles Towne (1858-1924), an American architect renowned for his work on the campus of Yale University and other notable structures in New England.

Additionally, the name TOWNS has been associated with various place names and locations throughout England, such as Townend in Yorkshire, Townhill in Hampshire, and Towngate in Lancashire, further reinforcing its geographical origins and connections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Towns

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

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

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

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