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

Toenjes, 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 Toenjes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toenjes in America

Toenjes is the 44653rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toenjes surname appeared 481 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 Toenjes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toenjes 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 Toenjes

The surname Toenjes has its origins in the Low German language spoken in parts of northern Germany and the Netherlands. It is believed to have emerged around the 13th or 14th century. The name is likely derived from the Low German word "tonen," meaning "to show" or "to display." It may have been an occupational name for someone who worked as a messenger or a town crier, roles that involved announcing or showing information to the public.

One of the earliest known references to the name Toenjes can be found in a document from the city of Hamburg, dated 1342. The record mentions a person named "Hinrich Toenjes," suggesting that the name was already in use by that time in the region.

In the 15th century, there are records of a family with the surname Toenjes residing in the town of Lübeck, a prominent member of the Hanseatic League. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Toenges," "Tönnies," and "Tönnjes," reflecting the variations in local dialects and scribal practices of the time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Toenjes was Petrus Toenjes, a Dutch scholar and theologian born in 1597 in the city of Utrecht. He was known for his work in Protestant theology and his contributions to the Dutch Reformed Church.

Another individual of note was Johann Toenjes, a German painter and engraver who lived in the 17th century. He was active in the cities of Hamburg and Lübeck, renowned for his portraits and religious artworks.

In the 18th century, a family by the name of Toenjes settled in the town of Aurich, in East Frisia, which was part of the Kingdom of Prussia at the time. This branch of the family became influential in local politics and trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Toenjes in the United States can be traced back to the mid-19th century, when a number of German immigrants bearing this surname arrived in the country, settling primarily in the Midwest and northeastern states.

Throughout history, variations of the name Toenjes have been found in various records and documents across northern Germany, the Netherlands, and regions influenced by Low German culture, reflecting the name's enduring presence and its adaptations to different local dialects and spellings over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toenjes

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

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

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

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