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

Toward, 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 Toward surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toward in America

Toward is the 95115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toward surname appeared 192 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 Toward.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toward 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 Toward

The surname "TOWARD" is of English origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from a place name, possibly a town or village in the southern regions of England. The name may have derived from the Old English words "tow" meaning "rope" and "ard" meaning "place or yard," suggesting a connection to a location where ropes were made or traded.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the surname "TOWARD" can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, dated 1327. This record lists a John Toward as a taxpayer, indicating the presence of the name in that region during the early 14th century.

In the late 15th century, the surname "TOWARD" appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence written by members of the influential Paston family in Norfolk, England. These letters provide insights into the lives and activities of the gentry class during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname "TOWARD" throughout history include:

1. William Toward (c. 1540 - 1607), an English merchant and philanthropist from London. He endowed several charitable institutions and schools in the capital city.

2. Thomas Toward (1661 - 1735), a British clergyman and academic who served as the Principal of St. Mary Hall, Oxford from 1719 until his death.

3. Elizabeth Toward (1746 - 1818), a renowned English painter known for her portraits and miniatures. She exhibited her works at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

4. John Toward (1793 - 1868), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Paddington.

5. Margaret Toward (1857 - 1932), a Scottish suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century.

The surname "TOWARD" has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Toward Point in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, and Toward Farm in Berkshire, England. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toward

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Toward, 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!