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

Toro, 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 Toro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toro in America

Toro is the 3358th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toro surname appeared 10,650 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Toro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toro 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 Toro

The surname Toro is of Spanish origin, and it can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Spain. The name is derived from the Spanish word "toro," which means "bull." This suggests that the surname may have originated from a personal characteristic, occupation, or location associated with bulls.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Toro can be found in the "Becerro de Behetrías," a medieval census document compiled in the 14th century. This document lists several individuals bearing the surname Toro, indicating that the name was already in use during that time.

In the 15th century, the surname Toro appeared in various historical records, including the "Libro de la Montería," a hunting treatise written by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This work mentions several place names containing the word "toro," such as Toro de Cameros and Toro de Liébana, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

The surname Toro has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One prominent figure was Pedro Toro, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru in the 16th century. Another notable individual was Juan de Toro y Quintano, a 17th-century Spanish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

In the 18th century, the surname Toro gained prominence in the arts and literature. Francisco de Toro y Vizuete (1677-1762) was a Spanish painter renowned for his religious works, while Domingo del Toro (1704-1775) was a celebrated Spanish playwright and poet.

Moving into the 19th century, José Toro y Zambrano (1788-1848) was a Chilean politician and diplomat who served as the first president of the Chilean Supreme Court. Additionally, Fermín Toro (1807-1865) was a Venezuelan writer, journalist, and politician who played a significant role in the country's independence movement.

Throughout its history, the surname Toro has been found in various parts of Spain, as well as in Latin American countries with significant Spanish influence, such as Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. While the name has evolved with different spellings and variations, its origins can be traced back to the Spanish word "toro," reflecting a connection to bulls and the cultural significance of these animals in Spanish history and tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toro

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

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

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

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