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

Tolia, 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 Tolia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tolia in America

Tolia is the 106570th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tolia surname appeared 167 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 Tolia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tolia 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 Tolia

The surname Tolia has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Rajasthan, which was once a part of the historical Rajputana region. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Tol," which means "weighing scale" or "balance." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in trade or commerce, where weighing scales were essential tools.

One of the earliest known references to the name Tolia can be found in the medieval manuscript "Prithviraj Raso," which chronicles the life and exploits of the famous Chahamana ruler, Prithviraj Chauhan. The manuscript mentions a noble warrior named Tolia, who fought alongside Prithviraj Chauhan in the 12th century. This provides evidence of the name's existence during the late medieval period in the region of Rajasthan.

In the 16th century, during the Mughal era, historical records mention a prominent Rajput chieftain named Tolia Ram, who ruled over a small principality in the present-day Alwar district of Rajasthan. Tolia Ram is known for his bravery and his resistance against the Mughal Emperor Akbar's attempts to subjugate the region.

Another notable individual bearing the surname Tolia was Pandit Shri Ram Tolia, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 18th century. He authored several works on Hindu philosophy and literature, including the celebrated text "Ramcharitmanas Tika," a commentary on the revered Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas.

In the 19th century, the Tolia family held significant influence in the region of Mewar, which was a part of the erstwhile Rajputana. Rai Bahadur Seth Gopal Das Tolia was a prominent businessman and philanthropist who contributed greatly to the development of education and social welfare in the region.

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Tolia was Brigadier Bhanu Pratap Tolia, a decorated officer in the Indian Army. He served with distinction during World War II and later played a crucial role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Brigadier Tolia was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second-highest military decoration, for his exceptional bravery and leadership.

While the surname Tolia is primarily associated with the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the state of Rajasthan, it has also gained recognition in other parts of the world due to the diaspora of Indian communities. However, the rich historical legacy and cultural significance of this surname remain deeply rooted in the region of its origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tolia

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tolia, 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!