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

Tolbert, 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 Tolbert surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tolbert in America

Tolbert is the 1464th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tolbert surname appeared 24,375 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Tolbert.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tolbert 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 Tolbert

The surname Tolbert originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "tol" meaning tax or toll, and "beorht" meaning bright or famous. It emerged as a descriptive surname for someone who collected tolls or taxes, or perhaps a renowned tax collector or administrator.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Tolbertus" in Hampshire county. This suggests the name had already established itself in southern England by the late 11th century.

In medieval times, variations like Tolbart, Tolbert, and Tolburt arose, reflecting regional dialect differences and inconsistent spelling practices. Some of these forms may have also derived from the place name Tolbert or Tolleburt in Northumberland.

One of the earliest known bearers was Richard Tolbert, born around 1150 in Somerset, who served as a tax collector for the local lord. In 1223, a William Tolbert from Gloucestershire was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls, indicating his involvement in legal proceedings.

During the 14th century, the surname spread across southern England, appearing in records from Wiltshire, Dorset, and Devon. Notable individuals included John Tolbert (c.1310-1382), a prosperous merchant from Bristol, and Alice Tolbert (c.1350-1425), an heiress who inherited substantial lands in Oxfordshire.

By the 16th century, the name had gained a foothold in northern England as well. Tobias Tolbert (1522-1596) from York was a prominent clergyman and scholar, while Richard Tolbert (1570-1628) from Lancashire was a successful wool merchant and landowner.

Other historical figures include Captain Thomas Tolbert (1625-1692), an English naval officer who fought in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and Sir William Tolbert (1680-1754), a member of Parliament and philanthropist from Norfolk.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tolbert

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

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

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

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