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

Tonic, 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 Tonic surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tonic in America

Tonic is the 129825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tonic surname appeared 131 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 Tonic.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tonic 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 Tonic

The surname Tonic is believed to have originated in the Slavic regions of Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of Croatia and Serbia. It is thought to have emerged around the 13th or 14th century.

The name is derived from the Slavic word "tonic," meaning "sour" or "acidic." It likely referred to someone who produced or sold vinegar or other fermented products. In some cases, it may have been an occupational surname for a brewer or winemaker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 15th-century document from the city of Dubrovnik, in what is now Croatia. The document mentions a merchant named Nikola Tonic, who traded in various goods, including wine and vinegar.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records from the region, including church registers and tax rolls. One notable bearer of the name was Jovan Tonic, a Serbian Orthodox priest who lived in the town of Šabac in the late 1500s.

As the centuries passed, the name spread to other parts of the Slavic world, with variations in spelling and pronunciation emerging. For example, in Poland, the name was sometimes rendered as "Tonicz" or "Tończyk."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in English-language sources dates back to the late 18th century, when a Croatian immigrant named Ivan Tonic settled in the American colonies. He was a vintner by trade and established a successful winery in Pennsylvania.

Another notable bearer of the name was Nikola Tonic, a Serbian scientist and inventor who lived in the late 19th century. He is credited with developing several important innovations in the field of electrical engineering.

In the 20th century, the name gained some prominence in the arts and entertainment world. One of the most well-known figures was Milan Tonic, a Serbian actor and director who appeared in numerous films and theatrical productions between the 1940s and 1970s.

Other notable individuals with the surname Tonic include Marko Tonic, a Croatian soccer player who represented his country in the 2006 World Cup, and Dragan Tonic, a Serbian-born classical pianist and composer who has performed worldwide.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tonic

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

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

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

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