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

Townsel, 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 Townsel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Townsel in America

Townsel is the 19223rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Townsel surname appeared 1,412 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Townsel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Townsel 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 Townsel

The surname Townsel has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "tun" meaning a town or village, and "sel" meaning a dwelling or hall. It is likely that the name originally referred to someone who lived in a village or manor house.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a "Walter de Touneshale" is mentioned as residing in Oxfordshire. The spelling variation "Touneshale" suggests that the name may have been associated with a specific place name, possibly a town or hamlet.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records with different spellings such as "Townesale," "Towneshale," and "Townsel." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as spelling conventions were not yet standardized.

The Townsel surname also has ties to Yorkshire, where a family with this name held land and property in the 16th century. One notable individual from this time was John Townsel, born around 1530, who served as a magistrate in the city of York.

Moving into the 17th century, the Townsel name can be found in parish records across various counties in England, including Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. This suggests that the surname had spread to different regions by this point.

One of the more prominent figures bearing the Townsel name was Thomas Townsel, born in 1647 in Gloucestershire. He was a successful merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to hold significant estates in the area for generations.

In the 18th century, the Townsel family had established itself as part of the gentry class in several parts of England. Notable individuals from this period include William Townsel (1712-1786), a scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of Whaddon in Gloucestershire.

As the centuries progressed, the Townsel name continued to be found across various regions of England, with individuals from this family making contributions in fields such as law, politics, and academia. Some other notable figures with this surname include Robert Townsel (1792-1864), a barrister and judge, and Edward Townsel (1837-1911), a respected academic and author.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Townsel

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

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

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

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