Twohy
An Irish surname derived from a place name, meaning "of Tuathaigh" or "from Tuathaigh."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 240 Americans carry the last name Twohy. That puts it at #88,020 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,428,143 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Twohy 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
240
1 in 1,428,143
Census rank
#88,020
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
211
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 211 bearers of the surname Twohy in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 88020th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Twohy, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Twohy
The surname Twohy has its origins in Ireland, where it can be traced back to the 16th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Tuathail," derived from the word "tuath," meaning "people" or "territory." The prefix "Ó" signifies a male descendant.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the annals, the name appears as "Ó Tuathail" and is associated with the Irish province of Connacht.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Dermot O'Twohy, who lived in the late 16th century and was a prominent landowner in County Mayo, Ireland. He is mentioned in various historical records from that period.
In the 17th century, the name appears in the Petty's Census of Ireland, which was a survey conducted in the 1650s by Sir William Petty. This census recorded several variations of the name, including "Twohy," "Toohey," and "Tuohy."
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Twohy name spread beyond Ireland as many Irish families emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly the United States and Canada. Notable individuals with this surname include:
1. Michael Twohy (1789-1864), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served in Virginia and Washington, D.C., during the early 19th century.
2. John Twohy (1819-1892), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 1860s.
3. Denis Twohy (1862-1926), a prominent Irish-American businessman and philanthropist from San Francisco.
4. Jack Twohy (1898-1967), an American football player and coach who played for the Chicago Cardinals in the early 20th century.
5. James Twohy (1908-1982), an American film producer and screenwriter best known for his work on the classic Western "The Westerner" (1940).
The name Twohy has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Twohy's Bridge in County Mayo and Twohy's Lane in Dublin, reflecting the historical presence of families bearing this surname in those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Twohy
Among Census respondents with the surname Twohy, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Twohy 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 Twohy surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.8%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Twohy 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 | #88,020 | #88,020 | 0.0% |
| Count | 211 | 211 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Twohy bearers went from 211 to 211 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #88,020 to #88,020.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Twohy
FAQ
Twohy surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Twohy?
The surname Twohy holds position #88,020 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 240 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Twohy surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Twohy, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%). 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.