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

Tobal, 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 Tobal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tobal in America

Tobal is the 94311th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tobal surname appeared 194 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 Tobal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tobal 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 Tobal

The surname Tobal has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Basque word "tobal," which means "small hill" or "mound," suggesting that the name may have been a topographic descriptor for someone living near a particular landform.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tobal can be found in a 13th-century document from the town of Lekeitio, located in the province of Biscay, Basque Country. The name was spelled "Tobal" in this document, indicating its longevity and deep roots in the region.

While the surname Tobal does not appear in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, it is mentioned in other historical records from the region. For instance, a Juan de Tobal was documented in Navarre, Spain, in the late 15th century, suggesting the surname's spread beyond its initial Basque origins.

Notable individuals with the surname Tobal throughout history include:

1. Pedro de Tobal (c. 1490-1560), a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in 1519. He is believed to have been one of the first Europeans to set foot on the Mexican mainland.

2. María Tobal (c. 1520-1585), a Basque scholar and writer who authored several works on Basque culture and language during the Renaissance period.

3. Juan de Tobal y Guevara (1570-1635), a Spanish military officer and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the court of King James I of England in the early 17th century.

4. Ignacio Tobal (1750-1820), a Basque architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in the city of Bilbao, including the Church of San Nicolás and the Royal Basque Society of Friends of the Country.

5. Dolores Tobal (1892-1976), a prominent Basque sculptor and artist known for her works depicting scenes from Basque mythology and folklore.

Throughout its history, the surname Tobal has also been associated with various place names and locations in the Basque region, such as the town of Tobalina in the province of Burgos, and the Tobalina Valley, which may have been named after individuals bearing this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tobal

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

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

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

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