2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tormala
From Finnish origins denoting a person from a small rural village or farm.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Tormala. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tormala 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Tormala in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tormala, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tormala
The surname TORMALA is believed to have originated in Finland, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Finnish word "torma," which translates to "trumpet" or "horn." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who played or crafted these instruments.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the TORMALA surname can be found in the parish records of Lohja, a town located in southern Finland, dating back to the late 1500s. It is speculated that the name may have originated in this region or its surrounding areas.
In the 17th century, the TORMALA name appeared in various historical records, such as land ownership documents and tax registers, indicating the family's presence and influence in certain parts of Finland during that period.
Notably, the name TORMALA has been associated with some prominent individuals throughout history. One such figure was Juho TORMALA (1822-1891), a Finnish farmer and landowner who played a significant role in the development of agriculture in his region.
Another noteworthy bearer of the TORMALA name was Liisa TORMALA (1879-1962), a renowned Finnish educator and advocate for women's rights. Her contributions to the field of education and her advocacy efforts left a lasting impact on Finnish society.
In the realm of literature, the name TORMALA gained recognition through the works of Kalle TORMALA (1901-1978), a Finnish author and poet whose writings explored themes of national identity and the Finnish experience.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the TORMALA surname was also found in various Finnish emigration records, indicating that some members of the family had ventured abroad, likely in search of new opportunities.
The name TORMALA has also been associated with several place names in Finland, such as the town of Tormalanmäki, further cementing its connection to the country's historical and geographical landscape.
While the surname TORMALA may not be as widespread as some other Finnish names, its rich history and significance within Finland's cultural and societal fabric cannot be overlooked.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tormala
Among Census respondents with the surname Tormala, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Tormala 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 Tormala surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 5
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tormala
Tormala 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+14 bearers (+12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,953 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-11 bearers (-8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,894 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+12.5%) | Up 3,953 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.7%) | Down 11,894 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 Tormala 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 | #133,863 | #145,757 | -8.9% |
| Count | 126 | 115 | -8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tormala bearers went from 126 to 115 (-8.7% change). The surname moved down 11,894 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #145,757.
FAQ
Tormala surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tormala?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Tormala. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Tormala?
Tormala ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Tormala. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Tormala.
Has Tormala become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tormala went from 126 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Tormala?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tormala, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Tormala in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tormala appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (4.3%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Tormala (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 Tormala mean?
From Finnish origins denoting a person from a small rural village or farm. 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 Tormala (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 Americans have the surname Tormala?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.