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

Tosh, 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 Tosh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tosh in America

Tosh is the 14050th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tosh surname appeared 2,143 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 Tosh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tosh 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 Tosh

The surname Tosh is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "tocc" meaning a tuft or lock of hair. It is believed to have originated as a nickname for someone with prominent tufts of hair or an unkempt appearance.

The earliest records of the name date back to the 13th century in Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. In the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England, the name appears as "Thosc" and "Tosce".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1333, which mention a "William Thosc". Another notable early bearer of the name was John Tosh, a Scottish landowner from Ayrshire, who was recorded in the Ragman Rolls in 1296.

The name Tosh is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Toshawhill and Toshiemure, which may have influenced the spelling and variations of the surname over time.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Tosh. One such figure was Sir John Tosh (1537-1607), a Scottish landowner and judge who served as a Lord of Session in the Court of Session in Scotland.

Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Tosh (1751-1832), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist from Glasgow, who made significant contributions to the city's development and funded the construction of the Tosh Church.

In the literary world, Penelope Tosh (1905-1982) was a British author and poet known for her works on rural life and nature. She was born in Gloucestershire and published several collections of poetry and novels during her lifetime.

In the field of academia, John Tosh (1939-2020) was a prominent British historian and professor at the University of Cambridge. He made significant contributions to the study of gender history and masculinity studies.

Finally, in the realm of music, Peter Tosh (1944-1987) was a renowned Jamaican reggae musician and a founding member of the influential band The Wailers, alongside Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. He had a successful solo career and was known for his socially conscious lyrics and advocacy for civil rights and the legalization of marijuana.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tosh

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

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

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

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