Toth last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Toth

A Hungarian surname derived from the word "tót," meaning Slovak, indicating Slavic ancestry or origin.

Toth, 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 Toth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toth in America

Toth is the 1826th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toth surname appeared 19,606 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Toth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toth 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 1826 1649 10.19%
Count 19,606 19,918 -1.58%
Proportion per 100k 6.65 7.38 -10.41%

The history of the last name Toth

The surname Toth has its origins in Hungary, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old Hungarian word "tót," which referred to Slavic peoples, particularly those living in northern Hungary and Slovakia. This term was initially used as an ethnic identifier but eventually became a surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Toth can be found in the Chancery Records of Hungary from the 14th century. These documents mention individuals with the surname, suggesting its widespread usage during that period. Additionally, the name appears in various medieval manuscripts and charters from the region.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Toth was János Toth, a Hungarian humanist scholar and poet born around 1430. He played a significant role in the intellectual and cultural life of Renaissance Hungary, contributing to the advancement of literature and education.

During the 16th century, the name Toth gained prominence in the town of Nagyszombat (now Trnava, Slovakia), which was an important center of learning and cultural exchange. One of the most renowned individuals from this period was Illés Toth, a Hungarian Reformed pastor and writer born in 1618. He authored several theological works and played a crucial role in the spread of Protestantism in the region.

In the 17th century, the surname Toth was associated with the Toth family, a noble Hungarian lineage with estates in the areas of Tolna and Baranya. One of the notable members of this family was István Toth, who served as a military commander and played a significant role in the Hungarian struggle against Ottoman rule.

Another influential figure with the surname Toth was Ágoston Toth, born in 1812. He was a Hungarian writer, journalist, and politician who actively participated in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-49. His writings and advocacy for political reforms contributed to the shaping of modern Hungarian national identity.

As the name Toth spread across different regions of Hungary and neighboring countries, variations in spelling emerged, such as Tóth, Tótt, and Totti. These variations often reflected local linguistic and cultural influences, but they all traced back to the same etymological root.

While the surname Toth has its origins in Hungary and the surrounding areas, it has since been carried by individuals and families across various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. Nonetheless, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Hungarian people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toth

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

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 Toth was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.78% 18,779
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.28% 55
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.67% 131
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.19% 37
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.10% 216
Hispanic Origin 1.98% 388

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 Toth has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.78% 96.77% -1.03%
Black 0.28% 0.23% 19.61%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.67% 0.52% 25.21%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.19% 0.22% -14.63%
Two or More Races 1.10% 1.02% 7.55%
Hispanic 1.98% 1.24% 45.96%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Toth last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 14, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/toth-surname-popularity/.

"Toth last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/toth-surname-popularity/. Accessed 14 October, 2024

Toth last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/toth-surname-popularity/.

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