2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Toporcer
An occupational surname indicating the bearer was a maker of axes or hatchets.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Toporcer. 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 Toporcer 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 Toporcer 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 Toporcer, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Toporcer
The surname "TOPORCER" is of Polish origin and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the small village of Toporce, located in the southern region of Poland near the city of Krakow. The name is derived from the Slavic word "topor," meaning "axe," which suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been involved in forestry or woodworking professions.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the TOPORCER surname can be found in the parish records of the Church of St. Mary in Toporce, dating back to the late 1500s. These records include entries for births, marriages, and deaths of individuals with the TOPORCER surname, providing valuable insights into the family lineage and historical significance of the name.
In the 17th century, the TOPORCER family gained prominence in the region, with several members holding influential positions within the local community. Notably, Jan TOPORCER (1625-1698) served as the mayor of Toporce for several years and played a significant role in the town's development during that period.
As the TOPORCER family expanded and migrated to other parts of Poland, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, such as "TOPORZER" and "TOPORTSCHER." These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the linguistic differences between Polish and other languages spoken in the areas where the family settled.
One notable individual with the TOPORCER surname was Kazimierz TOPORCER (1789-1856), a renowned poet and playwright from Warsaw. His works, which explored themes of Polish nationalism and identity, were widely acclaimed and contributed to the cultural renaissance of the 19th century.
Another prominent figure was Maria TOPORCER (1865-1932), a pioneering educator who established several schools for girls in the city of Krakow. Her efforts to promote equal educational opportunities for women were groundbreaking for that time period and earned her widespread recognition.
In the 20th century, the TOPORCER surname gained international recognition through the achievements of Stefan TOPORCER (1912-1998), a renowned Polish-American scientist and inventor. His contributions to the field of electronics and telecommunications earned him numerous patents and accolades, including induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Throughout its history, the TOPORCER surname has been associated with various professions, from artisans and tradesmen to academics and professionals. While its origins can be traced back to a small village in Poland, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by generations of individuals who have left their mark on various fields and contributed to the rich tapestry of human history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Toporcer
Among Census respondents with the surname Toporcer, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Toporcer 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 Toporcer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.6% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino8.1% · 9
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Toporcer
Toporcer appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 6,242 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 Toporcer 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 | #154,907 | #148,665 | 4.0% |
| Count | 105 | 111 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Toporcer bearers went from 105 to 111 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 6,242 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #148,665.
FAQ
Toporcer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Toporcer?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Toporcer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Toporcer?
Toporcer 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 Toporcer. 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 Toporcer.
Has Toporcer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Toporcer went from 105 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Toporcer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Toporcer, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Toporcer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.6% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Toporcer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.6%), Hispanic (8.1%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Toporcer (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 Toporcer mean?
An occupational surname indicating the bearer was a maker of axes or hatchets. 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 Toporcer (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 surname Toporcer?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.