Find out how popular the last name Toffey is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Toffey.
A surname derived from a nickname for someone with tufted or tousled hair.
Toffey, 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 Toffey surname is from the 2010 census data.
Toffey is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Toffey surname appeared 107 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 Toffey.
The surname Toffey is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "topp" or "top," referring to a hilltop or elevated location, and "ey" or "ieg," meaning an island or a dry place surrounded by marshes or water.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Toffey can be found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document contains references to individuals with variations of the name, such as Tofeye and Toffeigh, living in various parts of England.
In the 13th century, a landowner named William Toffey was documented as holding property in the village of Toffey, now known as Toftey, in Norfolk, England. This village's name is believed to be the source of the surname, as it was common for people to adopt surnames derived from the places where they lived or held land.
Another notable figure bearing the Toffey surname was Sir John Toffey, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. He was renowned for his bravery and military prowess.
During the 16th century, the Toffey family gained prominence in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. Records from this period mention a wealthy merchant named Thomas Toffey (1542-1612), who was a contemporary and acquaintance of the renowned playwright William Shakespeare.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Toffey family migrated to the American colonies, with one of the earliest recorded settlers being Richard Toffey, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the United States.
Another notable figure was Sir Edward Toffey (1683-1749), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the War of the Spanish Succession and later became the Governor of the Bahamas.
As the centuries passed, the Toffey surname continued to spread across England and beyond, with various spellings emerging, such as Toffee, Toffy, and Toffie, reflecting regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Toffey.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Toffey was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 88.79% | 95 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 10.28% | 11 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
| Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
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.
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 Toffey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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