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

Tonge, 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 Tonge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tonge in America

Tonge is the 23804th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tonge surname appeared 1,062 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 Tonge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tonge 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 Tonge

The surname TONGE originated in England and has its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "tunge," which means "tongue" or "strip of land projecting into water." This surname was likely given to someone who lived near a tongue-shaped piece of land or a peninsula.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname TONGE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a place name in Lancashire, England. The name was also documented in various charter rolls and tax records from the 12th and 13th centuries, with spellings such as "Tunge," "Tonge," and "Tonga."

During the 13th century, there was a notable figure named William de Tonge, who was a landowner in the area of Tonge, Lancashire. He is mentioned in several medieval records from that time period.

In the 14th century, a prominent individual named John Tonge was recorded as a merchant and freeman of the City of London. He played a significant role in the city's trade and governance during that era.

Another notable person with the surname TONGE was Israel Tonge, who lived from 1621 to 1680. He was an English clergyman and controversial figure known for his involvement in the Popish Plot, a fabricated Catholic conspiracy that caused widespread panic in England.

The surname TONGE is also associated with Sir John Tonge, a British naval officer who served during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He participated in several significant naval battles and expeditions.

In the 19th century, Ezriah Tonge, born in 1805, was a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings, including churches and public structures, in various parts of England.

While the surname TONGE has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and settlement patterns. However, the historical roots and early records of this surname can be traced back to the medieval period in England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tonge

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

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

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