2000
#8,246
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,696
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.37
Rare Last name
Ton
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Duan, referring to the paulownia tree or an official's ceremonial scepter.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,031 Americans carry the last name Ton. That puts it at #6,238 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 56,832 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Ton with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.0K
1 in 56,832
Census rank
#6,238
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,259 bearers of the surname Ton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6238th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ton, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ton
The surname TON has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "tun," which referred to an enclosed area or a settlement, often surrounded by a fence or fortification. Many place names in England were derived from this word, such as Tonton, Tunstall, and Tunbridge.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and resources commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, contains several references to individuals bearing the surname TON or variations thereof. One notable entry is that of Wulfric Tun, a landowner from Hertfordshire.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname TON was John de Tun, who lived in Oxfordshire during the early 13th century. Another early example is Walter atte Ton, a resident of Essex mentioned in court records from 1273.
Over the centuries, the surname TON has been associated with several notable individuals. Sir John Tonne (c. 1480-1548) was a prominent English diplomat and courtier during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as the Ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire and played a crucial role in negotiations with European powers.
Thomas Ton (1529-1599) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1593 to 1595.
In the 18th century, John Tun (1720-1792) was a respected surgeon and anatomist who made significant contributions to the study of human anatomy.
Mary Tun (1776-1845) was a celebrated English novelist and poet, known for her works that explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition.
Sir Edward Ton (1810-1885) was a prominent British politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1868 to 1874.
Throughout history, the surname TON has undergone various spelling variations, such as Tonne, Tun, Tune, and Toon. These variations often reflected regional dialects and differences in pronunciation. Additionally, some place names like Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells may have influenced the spelling of the surname in certain areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ton
Among Census respondents with the surname Ton, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Ton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander90.5% · 4,760
- White5.5% · 288
- Two or more races1.6% · 83
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 82
- Black or African American0.5% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ton
Ton appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,167
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,667
+971 bearers (+26.3%)
Per 100,000 1.58
Rank movement Up 1,079 places
2020
#6,238
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,259
+592 bearers (+12.7%)
Per 100,000 1.76
Rank movement Up 929 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,246 | 3,696 | 1.37 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,167 | 4,667 | 1.58 | +971 bearers (+26.3%) | Up 1,079 places |
| 2020 | #6,238 | 5,259 | 1.76 | +592 bearers (+12.7%) | Up 929 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,167 | #6,238 | 13.0% |
| Count | 4,667 | 5,259 | 12.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.58 | 1.76 | 11.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ton bearers went from 4,667 to 5,259 (+12.7% change). The surname moved up 929 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,167 to #6,238.
FAQ
Ton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ton?
Name Census estimates that about 6,031 living Americans carry the surname Ton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 56,832 residents.
How common is Ton?
Ton ranks #6,238 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.76 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,259 people with the surname Ton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,031), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.76 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.76 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Ton.
Has Ton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ton went from 4,667 recorded bearers to 5,259. That is an increase of 592 (+12.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,167 to #6,238.
What does the Census say about the background of Ton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ton, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (4,760 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (90.5%), White (5.5%), Two or More Races (1.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ton (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ton mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Duan, referring to the paulownia tree or an official's ceremonial scepter. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ton (1.76 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Ton?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Ton on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.