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

Worthem, 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 Worthem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Worthem in America

Worthem is the 79846th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Worthem surname appeared 238 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 Worthem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Worthem 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 Worthem

The surname Worthem is of English origin, with its roots traceable to the early medieval period. The name is believed to have originated from the Anglo-Saxon elements "worth," meaning "enclosure" or "homestead," and "ham," meaning "home" or "village." This combination suggests that the original bearers of the name Worthem were likely associated with a homestead or an enclosed farm.

Worthem appears to have been localized to areas within England, especially in counties such as Worcestershire and Norfolk, where early agricultural communities thrived. Similar spellings of the surname can be found in historical documents and manuscripts, with variations such as Wortham, Worthom, and Worthem. These variations often depended on regional dialects and the phonetic transcription by scribes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of a surname similar to Worthem can be traced to the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this monumental record, various forms of the name, such as "Wortham," were documented, indicating the presence of individuals or families associated with particular homesteads.

Historical records from the early 13th century mention a John de Wortham, born around 1205, who was a landowner in Norfolk. His lineage suggests that the Worthem name was well-established by this time, signifying a family or clan connected to notable land holdings or agricultural estates.

In the 14th century, another significant figure bearing the name was Richard of Worthem, born circa 1330. Richard was noted for his involvement in local governance in Worcestershire, indicating the family's continued prominence in rural communities.

During the 16th century, the name appears in parish registers with references to Thomas Worthem, born in 1532, who was a yeoman in Suffolk. An entry from 1587 records his death, providing insight into the name's persistence and its bearers' socio-economic status during the Tudor period.

The 18th century saw John Worthem, born in 1720, who was noted for his contributions to agricultural practices in Norfolk. His innovations in farming techniques were documented in local agricultural society records, highlighting the family's ongoing connection to agriculture.

By the 19th century, Edward Worthem, born in 1805, became a prominent figure. He was an industrialist during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, signifying the evolution of the family's societal roles from purely agricultural to industrial participation.

The lineage and history of the surname Worthem reflect a journey from medieval agricultural roots to involvement in broader social and economic contexts across centuries. Each historical figure bearing the name contributes to the rich tapestry of this surname's legacy, marking it as a name of enduring significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Worthem

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!