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

Toapanta, 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 Toapanta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toapanta in America

Toapanta is the 112568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toapanta surname appeared 156 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 Toapanta.

The history of the last name Toapanta

The surname Toapanta originates from Ecuador and is believed to have its roots in the indigenous Quechua language spoken by the native inhabitants of the region. The name is thought to be derived from the Quechua words "toa," meaning "to burn," and "panta," meaning "path" or "road." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a path or road that was burned, possibly as a method of clearing land for cultivation or settlement.

Historically, the Toapanta surname is believed to have emerged during the colonial period in Ecuador, when the Spanish colonizers began recording the names of indigenous individuals for administrative and taxation purposes. The earliest known written records of the name date back to the 16th and 17th centuries, when it appeared in church records and official documents from the Spanish colonial authorities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Toapanta surname can be found in the baptismal records of the parish of San Francisco de Quito, which date back to the late 16th century. These records mention individuals with the surname Toapanta, suggesting that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

Throughout the colonial period and into the early years of independent Ecuador, the Toapanta surname was primarily associated with indigenous communities in the central and northern regions of the country, particularly in the provinces of Pichincha and Imbabura.

Notable individuals with the Toapanta surname in Ecuadorian history include:

1. Juan Toapanta (c. 1730-1810), a prominent indigenous leader and activist who played a significant role in the struggle for indigenous rights and land rights during the late colonial period.

2. María Toapanta (c. 1785-1865), a renowned weaver and textile artist from the Otavalo region, whose work was highly influential in preserving and promoting traditional Ecuadorian textile traditions.

3. José Toapanta (1820-1892), a respected community leader and advocate for indigenous education in the province of Imbabura.

4. Dolores Toapanta (1875-1947), a celebrated poet and writer whose works explored themes of identity, culture, and the experiences of indigenous communities in Ecuador.

5. Pedro Toapanta (1905-1983), a renowned artist and sculptor whose works drew inspiration from indigenous Ecuadorian cultural traditions and imagery.

While the Toapanta surname has its roots in the indigenous communities of Ecuador, over time it has spread beyond its original geographic boundaries and is now found throughout the country and among Ecuadorian diaspora communities around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toapanta

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

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 Toapanta 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.

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Toapanta, 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!