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

Towson, 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 Towson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Towson in America

Towson is the 40856th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Towson surname appeared 534 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 Towson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Towson 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 Towson

The surname Towson originated in England, where it first appeared as a locational name derived from a place called Towson, which was located near the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. The name is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century, and it is derived from the Old English words "tun," meaning a settlement or enclosure, and "son," meaning a descendant or person from a particular place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Towson can be found in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1275, where a person named Adam de Tounsone is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time. The spelling of the name evolved over the centuries, with variations such as Townson, Townesonne, and Towneson appearing in various historical records.

In the 14th century, the Towson surname appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, which were records of taxes and financial transactions. This indicates that members of the Towson family were landowners or individuals of some standing in the local community during that period.

A notable figure bearing the Towson name was Sir John Towson (1548-1625), who served as a Member of Parliament for Ripon in Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a prominent landowner and played a significant role in local affairs.

Another influential individual with the surname Towson was Richard Towson (1670-1737), a successful merchant and trader who amassed a considerable fortune through his business ventures in London. He was also a philanthropist and donated funds for the construction of several churches and schools in the city.

In the 18th century, the Towson family expanded its reach beyond Yorkshire, with members settling in other parts of England and even venturing to the American colonies. One such individual was William Towson (1725-1792), who emigrated to Maryland and became a prominent planter and landowner in the region.

The name Towson also gained recognition due to its association with several place names. For example, the town of Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, was named after the Towson family, who were among the earliest settlers in the area. Additionally, Towson University, a public university located in Towson, Maryland, bears the family's name.

Throughout the centuries, the Towson surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, military officers, politicians, and businessmen. Some notable examples include Nathaniel Towson (1784-1854), a career officer in the United States Army who served in the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War, and John Towson (1805-1879), an English mathematician and writer who made significant contributions to the field of algebra.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Towson

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

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

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

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