2000
#108,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 152
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Tonucci
An Italian surname likely derived from the Latin name "Antonius".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 194 Americans carry the last name Tonucci. That puts it at #110,961 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,766,775 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tonucci 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
194
1 in 1,766,775
Census rank
#110,961
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
169
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 169 bearers of the surname Tonucci in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 110961st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonucci, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tonucci
The surname Tonucci is of Italian origin, believed to have emerged in the late medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "tonno," which means "tuna fish." The name likely originated in coastal regions of Italy where fishing, particularly tuna fishing, was a prominent industry.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tonucci name can be traced back to the 14th century in the city of Genoa, a major maritime hub in northern Italy. A reference to a certain Stefano Tonucci appears in a document dated 1378, suggesting the name's existence during that era.
In the 15th century, the Tonucci family gained prominence in the region of Tuscany, particularly in the city of Pisa. Historical records indicate that a Andrea Tonucci, born in 1422, was a prominent merchant and trader involved in the tuna fishing business.
During the Renaissance period, the Tonucci name was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Giacomo Tonucci (1499-1567), a renowned painter from Florence whose works adorned various churches and palaces across Italy.
As the Tonucci family branched out and migrated to different parts of Italy, variations in spelling emerged, such as Tonucci, Tonuchi, and Tonucchi. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and linguistic differences within the Italian peninsula.
In the 18th century, the Tonucci name gained further recognition through the exploits of Antonio Tonucci (1721-1799), a celebrated naval captain who served in the maritime forces of the Republic of Genoa. His accomplishments in naval warfare and navigation brought honor and prestige to the Tonucci lineage.
Another noteworthy figure bearing the Tonucci surname was Giulio Tonucci (1845-1912), a prominent Italian lawyer and politician who served as a member of parliament and held influential positions in the government of the Kingdom of Italy.
While the Tonucci name has its roots in coastal regions of Italy, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural diffusion. However, the name's association with the tuna fishing industry and its deep-rooted Italian heritage remain an integral part of its historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tonucci
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonucci, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Tonucci 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 Tonucci surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 160
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 5
- Two or more races1.2% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tonucci
Tonucci 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
#105,079
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 170
+18 bearers (+11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 3,074 places
2020
#110,961
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 169
-1 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 5,882 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #108,153 | 152 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #105,079 | 170 | 0.06 | +18 bearers (+11.8%) | Up 3,074 places |
| 2020 | #110,961 | 169 | 0.06 | -1 bearers (-0.6%) | Down 5,882 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 Tonucci 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 | #105,079 | #110,961 | -5.6% |
| Count | 170 | 169 | -0.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tonucci bearers went from 170 to 169 (-0.6% change). The surname moved down 5,882 positions in the national ranking, going from #105,079 to #110,961.
FAQ
Tonucci surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tonucci?
Name Census estimates that about 194 living Americans carry the surname Tonucci. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,766,775 residents.
How common is Tonucci?
Tonucci ranks #110,961 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 169 people with the surname Tonucci. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (194), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Tonucci.
Has Tonucci become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tonucci went from 170 recorded bearers to 169. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #105,079 to #110,961.
What does the Census say about the background of Tonucci?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonucci, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Tonucci in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (160 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tonucci appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Tonucci (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 Tonucci mean?
An Italian surname likely derived from the Latin name "Antonius". 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 Tonucci (0.06 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 people are called Tonucci?
Want to know how many people have the surname Tonucci? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.