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

Toonen, 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 Toonen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toonen in America

Toonen is the 119508th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toonen surname appeared 145 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 Toonen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toonen 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 Toonen

The surname Toonen has its origins in the Netherlands, emerging during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle Dutch word "tonen," which means "to show" or "to demonstrate." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who were involved in professions that required public demonstrations or exhibitions, such as merchants or performers.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Toonen can be traced back to the 14th century. In a manuscript from the city of Utrecht, dated 1372, there is a reference to a certain "Willem Toonen" who was listed as a merchant. This is one of the earliest known mentions of the surname in written records.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name Toonen began to spread across various regions of the Netherlands. In the city records of Leiden, there are several entries from the late 16th century that mention individuals with the surname Toonen, including a potter named "Pieter Toonen" and a weaver named "Cornelis Toonen."

One notable figure with the surname Toonen was Joost Toonen, a Dutch painter who lived from 1630 to 1703. He was known for his still-life paintings and was part of the Leiden school of art during the Dutch Golden Age. Another historical figure was Adriaan Toonen (1736-1801), a Dutch poet and playwright who wrote several popular plays and poems in his lifetime.

In the 19th century, the name Toonen began to appear in various parts of Europe, likely due to migration and trade. One example is Theodor Toonen (1810-1886), a German architect who was involved in the construction of several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities.

Another notable figure with the surname Toonen was Wilhelmina Toonen (1879-1962), a Dutch feminist and activist who campaigned for women's rights and suffrage in the early 20th century. She was a prominent figure in the Dutch women's movement and played a crucial role in the fight for gender equality.

Over the centuries, the surname Toonen has undergone various spelling variations, such as Tonen, Tonnen, and Toonen, but the core meaning and origin have remained consistent. While the name is not among the most common surnames in the Netherlands today, it continues to be a part of the country's rich cultural heritage and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toonen

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

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

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

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