Tobey
An English surname derived from the given name Tobias, meaning "God is good" in Hebrew.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,353 Americans carry the last name Tobey. That puts it at #8,732 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 78,740 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tobey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
4.4K
1 in 78,740
Census rank
#8,732
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,756 bearers of the surname Tobey in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8732nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tobey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tobey
The surname Tobey has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the place name Toby, which is found in various parts of England, particularly in Lincolnshire and Norfolk. The name is thought to stem from an Old Norse word, "topt," meaning a homestead or a piece of ground.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tobey can be found in the Feet of Fines records for Lincolnshire in 1197, where a person named William de Toby is mentioned. In the 13th century, the surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, where it is spelled as "Toby" and "Thobie."
The Tobey family was well-established in various parts of England, with records showing their presence in counties like Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. A notable figure from this period was John Tobey, a merchant from Lincolnshire, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1523.
As the Tobey family spread across England, various spelling variations emerged, including Toby, Tobee, and Tobaye. These variations can be found in historical documents such as parish registers and court records from the 16th and 17th centuries.
One prominent individual with the surname Tobey was Sir John Tobey (1579-1650), a Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby in Lincolnshire during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supported King Charles I.
Another notable figure was Thomas Tobey (1628-1704), an early settler in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He arrived in America in 1639 and became a prominent landowner and farmer in the town of Sandwich, Massachusetts.
In the 18th century, the Tobey family continued to grow and spread across England and the American colonies. Reverend Samuel Tobey (1717-1802) was a prominent minister in the Church of England who served as the rector of St. Peter's Parish in Northampton, Massachusetts.
During the 19th century, the surname Tobey gained recognition through individuals like Alvan Tobey (1808-1889), a successful merchant and businessman from Massachusetts who made his fortune in the whaling industry.
Throughout its history, the surname Tobey has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, farmers, clergymen, and businessmen. While its origins can be traced back to England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through the migration of English settlers to the American colonies and other regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tobey
Among Census respondents with the surname Tobey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Tobey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Tobey surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.0%
- Two or more races2.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.3%
- Black or African American2.1%
- Hispanic or Latino1.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Tobey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,732 | #8,732 | 0.0% |
| Count | 3,756 | 3,756 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.27 | 1.27 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Tobey bearers went from 3,756 to 3,756 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #8,732 to #8,732.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Tobey
FAQ
Tobey surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Tobey?
The surname Tobey holds position #8,732 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 4,353 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.27 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Tobey surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tobey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.