Tubman
An English surname derived from the Middle English "tub" and describing a maker or seller of tubs or barrels.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 925 Americans carry the last name Tubman. That puts it at #30,013 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 370,545 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tubman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
925
1 in 370,545
Census rank
#30,013
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
782
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 782 bearers of the surname Tubman in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 30013th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tubman, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.1%. The next largest groups are Black (36.1%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tubman
The surname Tubman has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "tun," meaning an enclosure or a village, and the word "mann," meaning a person or an individual. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in or was associated with a particular village or settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tubman can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. In these rolls, a person named William Tubman is mentioned as a resident of Hertfordshire.
The name Tubman also appears in several medieval manuscripts and records, including the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a John Tubman is listed as a taxpayer in Lincolnshire. Additionally, the name is found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dating back to the 14th century.
In the 16th century, the Tubman surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in eastern England. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Tubman, who was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, around 1540 and served as a member of the local militia.
During the 17th century, the Tubman name spread to other parts of England, including London and the surrounding areas. A prominent figure from this time was Richard Tubman, a merchant and landowner who lived in the village of Hackney, near London, in the late 1600s.
In the 18th century, the Tubman surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with several individuals bearing the name achieving notable positions. One such person was William Tubman, born in 1728 in Northamptonshire, who became a renowned architect and designed several churches and public buildings in the region.
As the centuries progressed, the Tubman name also made its way across the Atlantic Ocean to the American colonies and, later, the United States. One notable American with this surname was Harriet Tubman, the famous abolitionist and political activist who was born into slavery in Maryland around 1822. Tubman played a crucial role in the Underground Railroad, helping to guide numerous enslaved individuals to freedom in the northern states and Canada.
Other notable individuals with the Tubman surname include John Tubman, a British politician who served as a member of Parliament for Southwark in the late 18th century, and Charles Tubman, an English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club in the early 19th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tubman
Among Census respondents with the surname Tubman, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.1%. The next largest groups are Black (36.1%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Tubman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Tubman surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White61.1%
- Black or African American36.1%
- Hispanic or Latino1.7%
- Two or more races0.8%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Tubman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #30,013 | #30,013 | 0.0% |
| Count | 782 | 782 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.27 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Tubman bearers went from 782 to 782 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #30,013 to #30,013.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Tubman
FAQ
Tubman surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Tubman?
The surname Tubman holds position #30,013 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 925 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.27 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Tubman surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tubman, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.1%. The next largest groups are Black (36.1%) and Hispanic (1.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.