Explore the Family Name Timothy
The meaning of Timothy
1. English and Welsh: from the New Testament Greek personal name Timotheos, from Greek timē ‘honor’ + theos ‘God’. This was the name of a companion of Saint Paul who, according to tradition, was stoned to death for denouncing the worship of Diana in Ephesus. This was not in general use in England as a personal name until Tudor times, so, insofar as it is an English surname at all, it is a late formation (e.g. in Wales, where surnames came into use only relatively recently). In North America, this surname has, in some cases, also absorbed some of the various Greek cognate patronymics and other derivatives, such as Timotheatos. 2. Irish: adoption of the English personal name as an equivalent of Tumulty.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Timothy in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Timothy" has seen a moderate increase from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 11,763 in popularity, with an estimated count of 2,439 individuals carrying it in the United States. By 2010, this ranking improved to 11,204, reflecting a change of 4.75%. The total number of people with this surname reached approximately 2,821 in 2010, an increase of 15.66%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Timothy per 100,000 people also rose from 0.9 to 0.96 over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,763 | #11,204 | 4.75% |
| Count | 2,439 | 2,821 | 15.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.9 | 0.96 | 6.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Timothy
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a shift in the distribution of the surname "Timothy" across various ethnic groups between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (70.93% in 2000 and 66.08% in 2010), there was a significant rise in its adoption among Asian/Pacific Islanders, shooting up by 118.60%. Similarly, individuals identifying as two or more races, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases in this period. However, the percentage of Whites carrying the Timothy surname experienced a slight decline of 6.84%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.93% | 66.08% | -6.84% |
| Black | 20.09% | 21.16% | 5.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.58% | 5.64% | 118.6% |
| Two or More Races | 2.38% | 2.66% | 11.76% |
| Hispanic | 2.34% | 2.66% | 13.68% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.68% | 1.81% | 7.74% |