2000
#6,355
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,933
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.83
Rare Last name
Tobar
A Galician and Irish surname referring to a well or fountain, derived from the word "tobar" meaning "well."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,324 Americans carry the last name Tobar. That puts it at #4,729 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 41,177 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tobar surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
8.3K
1 in 41,177
Census rank
#4,729
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,259 bearers of the surname Tobar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4729th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tobar, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.6%. The next largest groups are White (6.0%) and Black (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tobar
The surname Tobar is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "tobar" which means "a well" or "a spring". This surname is believed to have originated in the regions of Argyll and Bute, where it was first recorded in the 13th century.
The earliest known record of the name Tobar dates back to the year 1263, when a person named Malcolm Tobar was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. This suggests that the name was already established in Scotland by the mid-13th century.
In the late 14th century, the name Tobar appeared in the records of the Parish of Kilchrenan, located in Argyll, Scotland. This further reinforces the association of the name with this particular region.
The earliest known spelling variations of the name include Tobar, Tober, Tobert, and Tobyr. These variations likely arose due to the variations in pronunciation and the different ways scribes chose to represent the name in written form.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the surname Tobar was Sir John Tobar (1380-1448), a Scottish knight who served as a military commander during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He was renowned for his bravery and loyalty to the Scottish crown.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Angus Tobar (1520-1585), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1558 to 1585. He played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation and was known for his efforts to promote education and religious reform.
In the 16th century, the Tobar family established themselves in the parish of Kilchrenan, where they owned land and were considered part of the local gentry. One notable member of this branch was Robert Tobar (1560-1625), who served as the Laird of Kilchrenan and was known for his patronage of the arts and literature.
The Tobar surname was also found in the Orkney Islands, where a branch of the family settled in the 17th century. One notable figure from this branch was James Tobar (1670-1745), a merchant and landowner who played a crucial role in the economic development of the Orkney Islands.
In the 18th century, the Tobar family continued to hold land and influence in various parts of Scotland, with several members serving in the military and local government. One notable figure from this period was Alexander Tobar (1725-1795), a Scottish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Argyllshire from 1765 to 1790.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tobar
Among Census respondents with the surname Tobar, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.6%. The next largest groups are White (6.0%) and Black (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Tobar bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Tobar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino89.6% · 6,507
- White6.0% · 439
- Black or African American3.2% · 232
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 37
- Two or more races0.5% · 35
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tobar
Tobar appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#4,977
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,056
+2,123 bearers (+43.0%)
Per 100,000 2.39
Rank movement Up 1,378 places
2020
#4,729
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,259
+203 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 2.43
Rank movement Up 248 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,355 | 4,933 | 1.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,977 | 7,056 | 2.39 | +2,123 bearers (+43.0%) | Up 1,378 places |
| 2020 | #4,729 | 7,259 | 2.43 | +203 bearers (+2.9%) | Up 248 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Tobar surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,977 | #4,729 | 5.0% |
| Count | 7,056 | 7,259 | 2.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.39 | 2.43 | 1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tobar bearers went from 7,056 to 7,259 (+2.9% change). The surname moved up 248 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,977 to #4,729.
FAQ
Tobar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tobar?
Name Census estimates that about 8,324 living Americans carry the surname Tobar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 41,177 residents.
How common is Tobar?
Tobar ranks #4,729 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.43 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,259 people with the surname Tobar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,324), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.43 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Tobar.
Has Tobar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tobar went from 7,056 recorded bearers to 7,259. That is an increase of 203 (+2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,977 to #4,729.
What does the Census say about the background of Tobar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tobar, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.6%. The next largest groups are White (6.0%) and Black (3.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Tobar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.6% (6,507 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tobar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (89.6%), White (6.0%), Black (3.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Tobar (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Tobar mean?
A Galician and Irish surname referring to a well or fountain, derived from the word "tobar" meaning "well." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Tobar (2.43 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Tobar?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.