2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Travelbee
An English surname suggesting one who traveled or journeyed extensively.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 110 Americans carry the last name Travelbee. That puts it at #156,540 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,115,949 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Travelbee surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
110
1 in 3,115,949
Census rank
#156,540
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
96
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 96 bearers of the surname Travelbee in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156540th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Travelbee, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Travelbee
The surname TRAVELBEE has its roots traced back to the medieval era in England, originating from the Anglo-Saxon words "travel" and "bee". It is believed that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who traveled frequently, possibly a merchant or trader, and the "bee" part may have been an allusion to their industrious nature or association with beekeeping.
One of the earliest records of this surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1254, where a certain Richard Travelbee is mentioned as a landowner. It is also documented in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1301, which lists a transaction involving a John Travelbee.
During the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Travelby", "Travelbey", and "Travelbie", reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era. In the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, a William Travelbee is listed as a taxpayer.
Noteworthy individuals bearing the TRAVELBEE surname throughout history include:
1. Sir Richard TRAVELBEE (1415-1489), a prominent English knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses and was knighted for his service to King Edward IV.
2. Elizabeth TRAVELBEE (1560-1632), a renowned herbalist and apothecary in the village of Stratford-upon-Avon, known for her expertise in medicinal plants and remedies.
3. Jonathan TRAVELBEE (1680-1754), a successful merchant and shipping magnate from Bristol, England, who established trade routes with the American colonies and amassed considerable wealth.
4. Margaret TRAVELBEE (1820-1901), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education, who founded one of the first girls' schools in London.
5. Benjamin TRAVELBEE (1874-1942), an accomplished explorer and naturalist, known for his expeditions to the Amazon rainforest and his extensive collection of botanical specimens.
While the TRAVELBEE surname may not be as prevalent today, its history reflects the diverse occupations and achievements of those who bore this name, from knights and merchants to educators and explorers, leaving a lasting impact on the annals of English history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Travelbee
Among Census respondents with the surname Travelbee, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Travelbee bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Travelbee surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8% · 92
- Two or more races4.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Travelbee
Travelbee appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,647 places
2020
#156,540
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 96
-4 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,435 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 11,647 places |
| 2020 | #156,540 | 96 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-4.0%) | Up 4,435 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Travelbee surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #160,975 | #156,540 | 2.8% |
| Count | 100 | 96 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Travelbee bearers went from 100 to 96 (-4.0% change). The surname moved up 4,435 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #156,540.
FAQ
Travelbee surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Travelbee?
Name Census estimates that about 110 living Americans carry the surname Travelbee. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,115,949 residents.
How common is Travelbee?
Travelbee ranks #156,540 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 96 people with the surname Travelbee. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (110), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Travelbee.
Has Travelbee become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Travelbee went from 100 recorded bearers to 96. That is a decrease of 4 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #156,540.
What does the Census say about the background of Travelbee?
Among Census respondents with the surname Travelbee, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Travelbee in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Travelbee appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.8%), Two or More Races (4.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Travelbee (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Travelbee mean?
An English surname suggesting one who traveled or journeyed extensively. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Travelbee (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Travelbee?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.