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

Torrington, 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 Torrington surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Torrington in America

Torrington is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Torrington surname appeared 100 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Torrington.

We can also compare 2010 data for Torrington 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 Torrington

The surname Torrington originated in England, specifically in the county of Devon. It is derived from the place name Torrington, which means "the town on the River Torridge." This place name can be traced back to the early medieval period, and it is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Toritone."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Torrington date back to the 13th century. One notable example is Roger de Torrington, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Devon in 1242. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a John de Torrington.

During the Middle Ages, the name was sometimes spelled as Torytone or Toritone, reflecting the local dialect and variations in orthography at the time. As people began to adopt hereditary surnames, those living in or near the town of Torrington adopted the name as a way to identify their place of origin.

In the 16th century, Sir John Torrington (c. 1510-1570) was a prominent figure who served as a member of parliament and held various positions in the English government. Another notable bearer of the name was Samuel Torrington (1635-1695), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious works.

In the 18th century, George Torrington (1752-1831) was a British naval officer who achieved the rank of Admiral and played a significant role in the Battle of the Nile during the Napoleonic Wars. His contemporary, William Torrington (1760-1835), was an English architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in London.

Moving into the 19th century, Edward Torrington (1810-1878) was a British politician and lawyer who served as a member of parliament and was involved in various legal reforms. Another notable figure was John Torrington (1825-1898), an English artist and illustrator who produced numerous works depicting landscapes and rural life.

Throughout history, the name Torrington has remained closely associated with its origins in the county of Devon, reflecting the strong ties between place names and the development of surnames in England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Torrington

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

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

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

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