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

Toy, 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 Toy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toy in America

Toy is the 5951st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toy surname appeared 5,784 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Toy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toy 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 Toy

The surname TOY has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "toie," which referred to a piece of cloth or a towel. This connection suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone involved in the textile trade or a weaver.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Walter le Tuy is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time, with "le Tuy" eventually transforming into the more recognizable "Toy."

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which lists a Richard le Toy. This entry provides evidence of the name's continued use and its geographical spread across different regions of England.

The Domesday Book, one of the most comprehensive records of landowners and property in medieval England, does not contain any direct mentions of the surname Toy. However, this absence does not preclude the possibility that the name existed during that time but was not recorded in this particular document.

As the centuries progressed, the Toy surname gained prominence, and several notable individuals bore this last name. One such figure was Robert Toy (1557-1618), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral from 1614 until his death.

Another historical figure was Thomas Toy (1636-1685), an English merchant and writer who authored "The Protestant Tutor," a book advocating for religious tolerance and criticizing the persecution of Protestants in France.

In the 18th century, Samuel Toy (1733-1805) was a prominent British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later became a Member of Parliament.

Moving into the 19th century, Crawford Howell Toy (1836-1919) was an American biblical scholar and Semitic linguist who served as a professor at Harvard University and made significant contributions to the study of Hebrew literature and culture.

Lastly, Wilfred E. G. Toy (1853-1952) was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions and served as the Hydrographer of the Royal Navy from 1904 to 1913.

These individuals, spanning various professions and time periods, exemplify the rich history and diversity associated with the surname Toy, which has its roots in the textile industry of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toy

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

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

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

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