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

Tonks, 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 Tonks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tonks in America

Tonks is the 37792nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tonks surname appeared 588 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 Tonks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tonks 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 Tonks

The surname Tonks is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "tunoc," which referred to a small settlement or enclosure. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived in or near such a settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tonks can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions a landowner named Tonc, which is likely an early variant of the surname.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various records and documents, often with slight variations in spelling, such as Tonkes, Tonkes, and Tonque. These variations were common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

In the 16th century, the name Tonks began to appear more frequently in parish records and other historical documents. One notable individual from this period was John Tonks, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1557 and served as a member of the local gentry.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Tonks spread to different regions of England, and several notable individuals emerged. In the 18th century, William Tonks (1710-1792) was a renowned clockmaker from Oxfordshire, known for his intricate and highly accurate timepieces.

Another significant figure was Samuel Tonks (1838-1918), a British artist and member of the Royal Academy of Arts. He was particularly celebrated for his portraiture and genre paintings, capturing scenes from everyday life.

During the 19th century, the Tonks family played a prominent role in the development of the British steel industry. Isaac Tonks (1818-1892) was a pioneering industrialist who established successful steel mills in Yorkshire, contributing to the region's economic growth.

In more recent times, the surname Tonks has been associated with notable individuals such as Henry Tonks (1862-1937), a renowned British painter and professor of art. He was influential in shaping the teaching of art in the early 20th century.

While the surname Tonks has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the small settlements and enclosures of medieval England, where the name first emerged as a way to identify individuals and their place of residence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tonks

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

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

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

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