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

Worthy, 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 Worthy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Worthy in America

Worthy is the 4040th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Worthy surname appeared 8,795 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Worthy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Worthy 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 Worthy

The surname Worthy originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old English word "wurðig," meaning "estimable" or "having merit." This name was likely bestowed upon individuals who were deemed virtuous, honorable, or of high standing within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Worthy can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where a certain Robert Worthy is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already been established by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Wurthy and Worthi, reflecting the linguistic evolution and regional variations in spelling. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 document a John Wurthy residing in Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the name Worthy was associated with several notable individuals. A John Worthy, born around 1320 in Somerset, is recorded as a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry. Additionally, a William Worthy, born circa 1360 in Yorkshire, was a respected merchant and alderman in the city of York.

The renowned Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Worthy. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of this surname, such as Worthing in Sussex and Wortham in Suffolk.

As the centuries progressed, the Worthy surname continued to spread across various regions of England. In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing this name was Thomas Worthy, born in 1530 in Gloucestershire. He was a renowned scholar and philosopher who authored several influential works on religion and ethics.

Another prominent individual with the Worthy surname was Sir William Worthy, born in 1620 in Kent. He was a distinguished military officer who served in the English Civil War and later became a Member of Parliament.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Worthy surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Devon. Several families with this name held estates and positions of influence in these regions.

Throughout its history, the Worthy surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, artists, politicians, and academics. While not an exhaustive list, some other notable figures with this surname include John Worthy (1679-1743), a renowned architect from Dorset, and Elizabeth Worthy (1768-1824), a celebrated poet and writer from Somerset.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Worthy

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

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

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

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