2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tooher
An Anglicized form of the Old Irish surname Ó Tuathair meaning "descendant of Tuathar".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Tooher. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tooher 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Tooher in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tooher, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tooher
The surname TOOHER is of Irish origin, and it is believed to have originated in the ancient kingdom of Connacht, located in the western region of Ireland. The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "tuathair," which means "peasant" or "commoner."
During the Middle Ages, the TOOHER name was predominantly found in County Sligo and County Mayo, where it was associated with families of modest means who worked as farmers or laborers. The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 15th century, when a man named Tadhg Tooher was mentioned in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.
In the 16th century, the TOOHER surname gained some prominence when a family of that name held lands in the barony of Tireragh, County Sligo. This branch of the Toohers was known as the "Toohers of Tireragh," and they were recognized as a prominent sept (clan) in the region.
One notable individual bearing the TOOHER name was Brian Tooher, who lived in the late 16th century. He was a member of the Toohers of Tireragh and was known for his involvement in local conflicts and disputes over land ownership.
In the 17th century, the TOOHER surname was also found in County Mayo, particularly in the parish of Kilmeena. A man named John Tooher, born in 1625, was recorded as a landowner in this area during that time.
Another significant figure in the history of the TOOHER name was Bridget Tooher, who lived in County Sligo in the late 18th century. She was renowned for her skills as a traditional Irish healer and midwife, and her reputation extended throughout the region.
As the centuries progressed, the TOOHER surname continued to be found in various parts of Connacht, with some families also migrating to other parts of Ireland and beyond. Despite its humble origins, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, and professionals.
In more recent times, notable individuals with the surname TOOHER include John Tooher (1892-1965), an Irish politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann) for the Labour Party, and Michael Tooher (1926-2013), an Irish artist known for his landscape paintings capturing the rugged beauty of the Irish countryside.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tooher
Among Census respondents with the surname Tooher, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Tooher 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 Tooher surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tooher
Tooher 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,950 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+13 bearers (+12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,981 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,950 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.3%) | Up 10,981 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 Tooher 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 | #153,769 | #142,788 | 7.1% |
| Count | 106 | 119 | 12.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tooher bearers went from 106 to 119 (+12.3% change). The surname moved up 10,981 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #142,788.
FAQ
Tooher surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tooher?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Tooher. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Tooher?
Tooher ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Tooher. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Tooher.
Has Tooher become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tooher went from 106 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 13 (+12.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Tooher?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tooher, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Tooher in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tooher appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Tooher (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 Tooher mean?
An Anglicized form of the Old Irish surname Ó Tuathair meaning "descendant of Tuathar". 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 Tooher (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 people have the last name Tooher?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Tooher is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.