Ty last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Ty

A surname of Vietnamese origin, possibly representing the local pronunciation of the Chinese surname Zheng.

Ty, 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 Ty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ty in America

Ty is the 25793rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ty surname appeared 955 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 Ty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ty 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 25793 29728 -14.17%
Count 955 747 24.44%
Proportion per 100k 0.32 0.28 13.33%

The history of the last name Ty

The surname Ty has its origins in Wales, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "tŷ," meaning "house" or "homestead." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person living in a particular house or dwelling.

In medieval times, surnames were often descriptive and based on a person's occupation, location, or other distinguishing characteristics. The name Ty likely emerged as a way to identify individuals or families associated with a specific house or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ty can be found in the Welsh genealogical manuscript known as the "Hendregadarn Manuscript," which dates back to the 13th century. This document mentions individuals with the surname Ty, indicating its presence in Wales during this period.

During the 14th century, the name Ty appeared in various records and legal documents across Wales. For example, a man named Ieuan ap Ty was recorded in the Peniarth Manuscripts, a collection of Welsh manuscripts from the 14th and 15th centuries.

In the 15th century, the surname Ty was associated with prominent figures in Welsh history. One notable example is Rhys ap Ty, a Welsh landowner and leader who played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses. He was born around 1420 and died in 1490.

Another individual worthy of mention is Gruffydd ap Ty, a Welsh poet and scholar who lived in the late 15th century. His works contributed to the preservation of Welsh literature and culture during a period of political turmoil.

In the 16th century, the name Ty continued to be found in various Welsh records and documents. One notable figure from this time was Sion Ty, a Welsh clergyman and author who lived from approximately 1530 to 1600.

The 17th century saw the name Ty spread beyond Wales, as migrations and settlements occurred in other parts of Britain and the colonies. One individual of note is William Ty, a Welsh settler who arrived in Virginia in the early 1600s and established a homestead there.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Ty remained prevalent in Wales and began to appear more widely in other regions, particularly in areas with Welsh communities or influences. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Evan Ty, a Welsh-American author and educator in the 19th century, and David Ty, a Welsh rugby player who represented his country in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ty

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

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 Ty was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 10.68% 102
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.78% 17
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 83.14% 794
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.93% 28
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Ty has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 10.68% 8.57% 21.92%
Black 1.78% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 83.14% 84.34% -1.43%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.93% 4.42% -40.54%
Hispanic (S)% 1.20% (S)%

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

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

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