Explore the Family Name Thurn
The meaning of Thurn
1. German: topographic name for someone who lived near a watchtower, or a metonymic occupational name for someone responsible for manning one, from Middle High German turn, turm ‘tower’. In some cases it may be a habitational name from any of the many places called with this word in the Rhineland, Bavaria, Austria, and Bohemia. 2. English (Warwickshire): variant of Thorne. This form of the surname is very rare in Britain and Ireland. Some characteristic forenames: German Otto, Katharina, Milbert.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Thurn in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Thurn has seen a marked decrease from 2000 to 2010. The rank of the surname in terms of commonality fell significantly by 27.08%, from 34,904 in 2000 to 44,356 in 2010. The count of individuals with this surname also dropped by 20.75% during the same period, from 612 to 485 people. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with the surname Thurn per 100,000 people decreased by 30.43%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #34,904 | #44,356 | -27.08% |
| Count | 612 | 485 | -20.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.23 | 0.16 | -30.43% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Thurn
The composition of ethnic identity associated with the surname Thurn changed slightly between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority identifying as White decreased slightly from 93.14% to 91.75%. Meanwhile, there was an increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 1.31% to 1.86%) and Hispanic (from 2.78% to 3.09%). A new category emerged in 2010 with 1.24% indicating they belonged to two or more races. However, the percentage of individuals identifying as Black decreased to zero in 2010, down from 1.80% in 2000. There was no change for those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, remaining at zero in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.14% | 91.75% | -1.49% |
| Hispanic | 2.78% | 3.09% | 11.15% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.31% | 1.86% | 41.98% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.24% | 0% |
| Black | 1.8% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |