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

Twombly, 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 Twombly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Twombly in America

Twombly is the 16100th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Twombly surname appeared 1,798 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Twombly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Twombly 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 Twombly

The surname Twombly has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "tun" and "bly," which together signify a "dweller at the meadow settlement." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who resided in a meadow or a settlement near a meadow.

The earliest known record of the name Twombly can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tunbli." This ancient manuscript, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England at the time. The presence of the name in this document indicates its long-standing history in the region.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Tunbly, Tonbly, and Tumbly, before settling on the modern form of Twombly. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic shifts that occurred throughout England's history.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Twombly was William Twombly, who lived in Derbyshire, England, in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was John Twombly, born in 1602 in Kent, England, who later emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s, becoming one of the earliest settlers of the name in the Americas.

In the 17th century, the name Twombly was associated with several place names in England, such as Twombly Manor and Twombly Hall, both located in Staffordshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Twombly name throughout history are:

1. Sir John Twombly (1620-1688), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Derbyshire.
2. Harriet Twombly (1792-1868), an American writer and educator from New Hampshire.
3. Cyrus Twombly (1809-1892), an American banker and businessman from Maine.
4. Alexander Twombly (1819-1897), an American entrepreneur and founder of the Twombly Manufacturing Company in New York.
5. Edwin Twombly (1865-1942), an American artist and painter known for his landscapes and seascapes.

These individuals, spanning different eras and professions, exemplify the diverse paths taken by those bearing the Twombly surname throughout history, while also highlighting the name's enduring presence across various regions and contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Twombly

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

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

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

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