2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Totsky
A Russian Jewish surname derived from the Russian word "tot", meaning "that one".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Totsky. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Totsky 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.
Bearers in the US
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Totsky in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Totsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Totsky
The surname Totsky has its origins in Russia, emerging in the 16th century. It is derived from the Russian word "tot," which means "that" or "the one," and the suffix "-sky," indicating a place of origin or residence. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived in a specific location or was associated with a particular place.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Totsky can be found in the Pistsovye Knigi, a series of cadastral survey books compiled in the 16th and 17th centuries. These books documented land ownership, taxation, and other administrative details throughout Russia. The name appears in several regions, indicating that it was relatively widespread during that time.
In the late 17th century, a notable individual named Ivan Totsky was recorded as a prominent merchant in the city of Novgorod. His successful trading endeavors contributed to the economic prosperity of the region, and his name was mentioned in various commercial records and agreements.
During the 18th century, the Totsky family gained prominence in the literary circles of St. Petersburg. Semyon Totsky (1720-1789) was a well-known poet and playwright whose works were celebrated for their wit and satire. His contemporaries often praised his ability to capture the essence of Russian society through his writing.
In the 19th century, Fyodor Totsky (1812-1879) was a respected military officer who served in the Imperial Russian Army. He participated in several campaigns, including the Crimean War, and was decorated for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Another notable figure was Nadezhda Totsky (1846-1923), a pioneering educator who founded one of the first schools for girls in Moscow. Her progressive approach to education and advocacy for women's rights earned her widespread recognition and admiration.
The name Totsky has also been associated with various place names throughout Russia, such as the village of Totskoe in the Vologda Oblast and the Totsky District in the Orenburg Oblast. These place names may have contributed to the formation and spread of the surname over time.
While the name Totsky is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of Russia's rich historical and cultural heritage, reflecting the diverse origins and experiences of its people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Totsky
Among Census respondents with the surname Totsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Totsky 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 Totsky surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5% · 101
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Totsky
Totsky 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-7 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,986 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,834 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 16,986 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 2,834 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 Totsky 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 | #153,769 | #150,935 | 1.8% |
| Count | 106 | 108 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Totsky bearers went from 106 to 108 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 2,834 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #150,935.
FAQ
Totsky surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Totsky?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Totsky. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Totsky?
Totsky ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Totsky. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Totsky.
Has Totsky become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Totsky went from 106 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Totsky?
Among Census respondents with the surname Totsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Totsky in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Totsky appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.5%), Black (1.9%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Totsky (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 Totsky mean?
A Russian Jewish surname derived from the Russian word "tot", meaning "that one". 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 Totsky (0.04 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 people have the surname Totsky?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.