2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tonkery
A surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "tun" (enclosure, settlement) and "cer" (turn, twist).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Tonkery. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tonkery 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.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Tonkery in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonkery, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tonkery
The surname Tonkery has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tun-cærra," which referred to a person who lived in or near a town or village. The name may also be related to the word "tonker," which was a term used for a tradesman or merchant who traveled from town to town.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a person named William Tonkery is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.
During the medieval period, the Tonkery name appeared in various records and documents, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which listed a Robert Tonkery. The name was also found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1348, where a John Tonkery was recorded.
In the 16th century, the name Tonkery was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was William Tonkery (1532-1599), a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He was known for his involvement in the wool trade and for his philanthropic efforts in the local community.
Another Tonkery of note was Thomas Tonkery (1567-1631), a clergyman and scholar from Oxfordshire. He was the author of several theological works and served as the rector of a parish in Berkshire.
In the 17th century, the Tonkery name gained prominence through the accomplishments of John Tonkery (1619-1689), a successful businessman and landowner from Warwickshire. He was involved in various commercial ventures and was known for his wealth and influence in the region.
The 18th century saw the rise of Elizabeth Tonkery (1722-1798), a renowned artist and portraitist from London. Her work was highly sought after by the aristocracy, and she is considered one of the most talented female artists of her time.
In the 19th century, the Tonkery name was associated with Sir Henry Tonkery (1815-1891), a prominent politician and statesman from Yorkshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and held several important government positions during his career.
Throughout its history, the surname Tonkery has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and London.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tonkery
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonkery, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Tonkery 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 Tonkery surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 105
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tonkery
Tonkery 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+10 bearers (+9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 698 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-5 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,516 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.4%) | Up 698 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.3%) | Down 5,516 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 Tonkery 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 | #143,149 | #148,665 | -3.9% |
| Count | 116 | 111 | -4.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tonkery bearers went from 116 to 111 (-4.3% change). The surname moved down 5,516 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #148,665.
FAQ
Tonkery surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tonkery?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Tonkery. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Tonkery?
Tonkery ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Tonkery. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Tonkery.
Has Tonkery become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tonkery went from 116 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Tonkery?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonkery, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Tonkery in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tonkery appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Black (1.8%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Tonkery (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 Tonkery mean?
A surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "tun" (enclosure, settlement) and "cer" (turn, twist). 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 Tonkery (0.04 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 many Americans have the surname Tonkery?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.