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

Tolle, 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 Tolle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tolle in America

Tolle is the 9155th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tolle surname appeared 3,564 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tolle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tolle 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 Tolle

The surname Tolle originated in Germany and dates back to the medieval era. It derives from the Middle High German word "tolle," meaning "mad" or "foolish." This name may have been initially used as a nickname for someone perceived as eccentric or foolish in behavior.

During the Middle Ages, nicknames based on personal characteristics were commonly adopted as surnames. The earliest recorded instances of the Tolle surname can be traced back to German records from the 13th and 14th centuries, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Tolle name was Johann Tolle, a scribe and scholar who lived in Nuremberg, Germany, in the late 15th century (c. 1460-1520). His works included transcriptions of important manuscripts and chronicles from the region.

In the 16th century, the Tolle name appeared in various municipal and church records across German-speaking areas. For instance, Hans Tolle (c. 1520-1585) was a prominent baker and guild member in the city of Augsburg.

As the surname spread, it also took on variations in spelling, such as Tollen, Tollin, and Toller. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects or variations in the German language.

In the 17th century, the name Tolle gained prominence through the work of Jürgen Tolle (1619-1675), a German philosopher and theologian. His writings on ethics and morality were widely read and discussed during his time.

Another noteworthy figure was Christoph Tolle (1670-1738), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were highly regarded and influential in the Baroque period.

As people with the Tolle surname migrated and settled in different regions, the name also took on new meanings or associations. For example, in some areas, the name was linked to the German word "toll," meaning "great" or "excellent," reflecting a positive connotation rather than the original meaning of "foolish."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tolle

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

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

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

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