2000
#13,297
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.78
Rare Last name
Tosh
Derived from the Middle English word "tosche," meaning a head covering or cap, likely referring to a maker or seller of such items.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,321 Americans carry the last name Tosh. That puts it at #14,242 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,675 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tosh 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 Tosh with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 147,675
Census rank
#14,242
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,024 bearers of the surname Tosh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14242nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tosh, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tosh
Among Census respondents with the surname Tosh, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Tosh 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 Tosh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.8% · 1,798
- Two or more races4.2% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 61
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.3% · 47
- Black or African American1.0% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tosh
Tosh 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
#14,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,143
+39 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.73
Rank movement Down 753 places
2020
#14,242
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,024
-119 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 192 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,297 | 2,104 | 0.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,050 | 2,143 | 0.73 | +39 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 753 places |
| 2020 | #14,242 | 2,024 | 0.68 | -119 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 192 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 Tosh 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 | #14,050 | #14,242 | -1.4% |
| Count | 2,143 | 2,024 | -5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.73 | 0.68 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tosh bearers went from 2,143 to 2,024 (-5.6% change). The surname moved down 192 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,050 to #14,242.
FAQ
Tosh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tosh?
Name Census estimates that about 2,321 living Americans carry the surname Tosh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,675 residents.
How common is Tosh?
Tosh ranks #14,242 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,024 people with the surname Tosh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,321), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Tosh.
Has Tosh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tosh went from 2,143 recorded bearers to 2,024. That is a decrease of 119 (-5.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,050 to #14,242.
What does the Census say about the background of Tosh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tosh, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Tosh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (1,798 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tosh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.8%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Tosh (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 Tosh mean?
Derived from the Middle English word "tosche," meaning a head covering or cap, likely referring to a maker or seller of such items. 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 Tosh (0.68 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 Tosh?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.