Torbert last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Torbert

A surname derived from a place name of uncertain etymology.

Torbert, 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 Torbert surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Torbert in America

Torbert is the 15734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Torbert surname appeared 1,853 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Torbert.

We can also compare 2010 data for Torbert 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 15734 14805 6.08%
Count 1,853 1,839 0.76%
Proportion per 100k 0.63 0.68 -7.63%

The history of the last name Torbert

The surname Torbert has its origins in the Old French and Anglo-Norman language. It is derived from the Old French word "torbier," which means a person who made pots or earthenware. The name is believed to have originated in the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas of Normandy and Brittany.

The earliest known record of the name Torbert can be traced back to the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Turberd" in this historical document, suggesting that individuals bearing this surname were among the Norman settlers who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Torbert was Robert Torbert, who lived in Gloucestershire, England, during the 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir John Torbert, a prominent military commander who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). He was born around 1310 and played a significant role in several battles against the French.

In the 16th century, the name Torbert was found in various parts of England, with variations in spelling such as Turbut, Turbert, and Turbervile. One notable individual from this period was James Torbert, a merchant and landowner who lived in Somerset, England, during the late 16th century.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Torbert spread to other parts of the world, including the American colonies. One prominent figure was Joseph Torbert, a Quaker settler who arrived in Pennsylvania in the late 17th century. He established a successful farming community and was influential in the local Quaker community.

Another notable individual was Henry Torbert, a Continental Army officer during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). He was born in 1745 in Pennsylvania and played a crucial role in several battles, including the Battle of Brandywine in 1777.

In the 19th century, Alfred Thomas Archimedes Torbert (1833-1880) was a prominent Union Army general during the American Civil War. He participated in numerous battles, including the Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg, and was known for his bravery and strategic skills.

Throughout its history, the surname Torbert has been associated with various occupations, including potters, merchants, landowners, military officers, and farmers. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval era, and it has since spread across different regions and continents, becoming a part of diverse cultural and historical narratives.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Torbert

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

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 Torbert was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 64.98% 1,204
Non-Hispanic Black Only 30.33% 562
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.27% 42
Hispanic Origin 1.40% 26

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 Torbert has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 64.98% 67.05% -3.14%
Black 30.33% 30.67% -1.11%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.27% 1.14% 66.28%
Hispanic 1.40% 0.98% 35.29%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Torbert last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/torbert-surname-popularity/.

"Torbert last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/torbert-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Torbert last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/torbert-surname-popularity/.

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