2000
#3,798
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,576
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.18
Uncommon Last name
Toro
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin "taurus," meaning "bull," likely referring to a person with bull-like qualities.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,386 Americans carry the last name Toro. That puts it at #3,264 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,673 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Toro 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Toro with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 27,673
Census rank
#3,264
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,801 bearers of the surname Toro in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3264th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Toro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 84.1%. The next largest groups are White (12.7%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Toro
Among Census respondents with the surname Toro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 84.1%. The next largest groups are White (12.7%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Toro 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 Toro surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino84.1% · 9,081
- White12.7% · 1,375
- Black or African American1.0% · 108
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 98
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 74
- Two or more races0.6% · 65
Timeline
Historical Census data for Toro
Toro 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
#3,358
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,650
+2,074 bearers (+24.2%)
Per 100,000 3.61
Rank movement Up 440 places
2020
#3,264
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,801
+151 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 3.61
Rank movement Up 94 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,798 | 8,576 | 3.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,358 | 10,650 | 3.61 | +2,074 bearers (+24.2%) | Up 440 places |
| 2020 | #3,264 | 10,801 | 3.61 | +151 bearers (+1.4%) | Up 94 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 Toro 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 | #3,358 | #3,264 | 2.8% |
| Count | 10,650 | 10,801 | 1.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.61 | 3.61 | 0.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Toro bearers went from 10,650 to 10,801 (+1.4% change). The surname moved up 94 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,358 to #3,264.
FAQ
Toro surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Toro?
Name Census estimates that about 12,386 living Americans carry the surname Toro. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,673 residents.
How common is Toro?
Toro ranks #3,264 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,801 people with the surname Toro. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,386), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Toro.
Has Toro become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Toro went from 10,650 recorded bearers to 10,801. That is an increase of 151 (+1.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,358 to #3,264.
What does the Census say about the background of Toro?
Among Census respondents with the surname Toro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 84.1%. The next largest groups are White (12.7%) and Black (1.0%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Toro in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.1% (9,081 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Toro appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (84.1%), White (12.7%), Black (1.0%). 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 Toro (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 Toro mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin "taurus," meaning "bull," likely referring to a person with bull-like qualities. 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 Toro (3.61 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 share the surname Toro?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.