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

Tolayo, 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 Tolayo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tolayo in America

Tolayo is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tolayo surname appeared 134 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 Tolayo.

The history of the last name Tolayo

The surname TOLAYO is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Spanish word "tola," which means a small hill or mound, and the suffix "-yo," indicating a diminutive form. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who lived near a small hill or resided in a place with such a geographical feature.

The earliest known record of the TOLAYO surname dates back to the 13th century, where it appeared in historical documents from the region of Castile, Spain. One notable mention is found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a manuscript from the 14th century that documented hunting expeditions and lands owned by Spanish nobility.

In the 16th century, there are records of a prominent figure named Alonso de TOLAYO, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro. He was born in Extremadura, Spain, around 1495 and is believed to have died in the early 1550s in the Americas.

Another notable bearer of the TOLAYO name was Rodrigo de TOLAYO, a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived in the 17th century. He was born in Madrid in 1620 and is known for his works in religious art, particularly his sculptures and altarpieces commissioned for churches in Spain.

During the 18th century, the TOLAYO surname appeared in various records from the region of Andalusia, Spain. One prominent individual was Juan de TOLAYO, a landowner and local nobleman born in Seville in 1725. He was known for his involvement in the wine trade and his philanthropic efforts in supporting local churches and charities.

In the 19th century, the TOLAYO surname gained recognition through the work of María de TOLAYO, a Spanish writer and feminist activist. She was born in Malaga in 1845 and published several works advocating for women's rights and education. Her writings and activism played a significant role in the early feminist movement in Spain.

While the TOLAYO surname originated in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to Spanish colonization and migration. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to medieval Spain, where it likely emerged from the geographic features of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tolayo

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

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 Tolayo 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!