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

Toten, 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 Toten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toten in America

Toten is the 81458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toten surname appeared 232 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 Toten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toten 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 Toten

The surname "TOTEN" has its origins in the Netherlands, tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Dutch word "toten," which means "to peep" or "to look out," suggesting that the name may have been an occupational moniker for a watchman or a lookout.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical records from the provinces of Friesland and Groningen in the northern Netherlands. These records include church registries, tax rolls, and land deeds, where variations of the spelling, such as "Totten" and "Toten," were documented.

One notable historical reference is the appearance of the name in the "Staatse Legermutaties" (State Army Mutations), a collection of military records from the Dutch Republic during the Eighty Years' War against Spain (1568-1648). These records mention a soldier named Dirck Toten, who served in the army during the latter stages of the conflict.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Toten family migrated to the Dutch Cape Colony (present-day South Africa), where they became prominent landowners and members of the local gentry. One such individual was Pieter Toten (1645-1712), who owned a large estate near the town of Stellenbosch.

Another notable figure was Aert Toten (1712-1789), a Dutch painter from Amsterdam known for his landscapes and maritime scenes. His works can be found in several museum collections across Europe.

As the name spread across Europe and beyond, it underwent various spelling changes and adaptations. In Germany, for instance, the name was sometimes rendered as "Totten" or "Tothen," while in England, it became "Toten" or "Totin."

One notable English bearer of the name was Sir Edward Toten (1788-1864), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the United States, the name "Toten" can be traced back to the 18th century, with early immigrants from the Netherlands and Germany settling in areas like Pennsylvania and New York. One prominent American with this surname was William Toten (1832-1892), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who later served as the Governor of Arizona Territory.

While the surname "TOTEN" is not as widespread as some other Dutch surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and continents, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have carried this name throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toten

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

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

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

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