2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Toven
From a Scots Gaelic surname meaning "a hillock" or "a little hill".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Toven. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Toven 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Toven in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Toven, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Toven
The surname TOVEN is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from an Old English word "tun," which referred to a small settlement or a village, and the suffix "-en," indicating a place of origin.
Historically, the name TOVEN was prevalent in the southern counties of England, particularly in regions such as Dorset, Somerset, and Devon. It is likely that the name originated from a specific place name or location that no longer exists or has been lost to time. However, there are records of similar-sounding place names, such as "Toven" and "Tovene," which may have contributed to the formation of the surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname TOVEN can be found in the Feudal Aids of 1284-1285, where a certain "Willelmus de Toven" is mentioned. This document served as a record of taxes and aids paid to the Crown during the reign of King Edward I.
In the 16th century, the name TOVEN appears in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a record of individuals who swore allegiance to the Protestant faith during the English Civil War. Notable individuals listed in this document include Thomas TOVEN of Somerset and John TOVEN of Dorset.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname TOVEN. One such figure was Robert TOVEN (c. 1540 - 1615), an English merchant and explorer who is credited with establishing trade routes between England and the East Indies. Another was Elizabeth TOVEN (1628 - 1702), a renowned herbalist and author of the influential work "The English Herbal."
In the 18th century, the TOVEN family gained prominence through the achievements of Sir William TOVEN (1712 - 1789), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Exchange. His son, James TOVEN (1748 - 1820), followed in his footsteps and became a respected civil engineer, known for his contributions to the construction of canals and bridges.
The 19th century saw the rise of Mary TOVEN (1819 - 1893), a prominent social reformer and advocate for women's rights. She was a founding member of the National Society for Women's Suffrage and played a crucial role in the struggle for women's right to vote in Britain.
While the surname TOVEN has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, thanks to migration and the expansion of the British Empire. However, the name's rich history and origins remain deeply rooted in the English countryside and the stories of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Toven
Among Census respondents with the surname Toven, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Toven 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 Toven surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.0% · 82
- Hispanic or Latino14.0% · 14
- Two or more races3.0% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Toven
Toven appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-5 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 775 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 775 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 Toven 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 | #154,907 | #155,682 | -0.5% |
| Count | 105 | 100 | -4.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -16.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Toven bearers went from 105 to 100 (-4.8% change). The surname moved down 775 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #155,682.
FAQ
Toven surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Toven?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Toven. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Toven?
Toven ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Toven. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Toven.
Has Toven become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Toven went from 105 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #154,907 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Toven?
Among Census respondents with the surname Toven, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.0%) and Two or More Races (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 Toven in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.0% (82 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Toven appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.0%), Hispanic (14.0%), Two or More Races (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 Toven (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 Toven mean?
From a Scots Gaelic surname meaning "a hillock" or "a little hill". 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 Toven (0.03 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 Toven?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.