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

Tough, 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 Tough surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tough in America

Tough is the 74375th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tough surname appeared 260 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 Tough.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tough 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 Tough

The surname "Tough" is believed to have originated in Scotland, where it was derived from the Old English word "toh," meaning "tenacious" or "resilient." It is thought to have first emerged as a descriptive surname in the 12th or 13th century, used to refer to individuals who were known for their strength, toughness, or perseverance.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "Tough" can be traced back to the 16th century in various Scottish records and documents. For example, a William Tough is mentioned in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1572, while a John Tough appears in the Commissariot Record of St. Andrews in 1599.

Over the centuries, the name has been found in various spellings, such as "Toughe," "Toug," and "Towch," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common in earlier times. Additionally, the surname may have been influenced by place names or locations associated with the word "tough," such as the village of Tough in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Notable individuals with the surname "Tough" include Sir William Tough (1566-1635), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1628 to 1630. Another prominent figure was John Tough (1768-1838), a Scottish minister and writer who authored several works on religious subjects.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name "Tough" began to spread beyond Scotland as members of the family migrated to other parts of the British Isles and around the world. For instance, James Tough (1808-1892) was a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

Other notable individuals with the surname include William Tough (1826-1904), an English architect and surveyor known for his work on various churches and public buildings in London, and John Tough (1859-1932), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Throughout its history, the surname "Tough" has maintained its association with resilience, strength, and endurance, reflecting the qualities embodied by its earliest bearers. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Scotland, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals and families who have left their mark in various fields and endeavors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tough

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!