2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tuffley
An English habitational surname denoting someone from the village of Tuffley in Gloucestershire.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Tuffley. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tuffley 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Tuffley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Tuffley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tuffley, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tuffley
The surname Tuffley is of English origin, originating from the village of Tuffley, located in Gloucestershire, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "tufu" meaning "hillock" or "small hill," and "leah," meaning "a clearing in a forest."
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Tuffley dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Tuffelege." This ancient record provides evidence of the name's existence in the region during the Norman conquest of England.
In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as "Tuffelay" and "Tuffelee," indicating variations in spelling over time. The earliest known bearer of the surname was William de Tuffeley, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230.
One notable historical figure with the surname Tuffley was Sir John Tuffley (1520-1589), a prominent landowner and member of the English gentry. He served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another individual of importance was Richard Tuffley (1615-1677), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts, including "The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity Explained and Defended" (1670).
In the 18th century, Thomas Tuffley (1735-1809) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden.
During the Victorian era, Emily Tuffley (1830-1912) gained recognition as a renowned poet and writer, publishing several volumes of poetry and contributing to various literary magazines of the time.
Lastly, in the 20th century, Sir William Tuffley (1910-1988) was a prominent British businessman and philanthropist, known for his significant contributions to various charitable organizations and his support for educational initiatives.
Throughout history, the surname Tuffley has maintained its connection to the village of Tuffley in Gloucestershire, reflecting the name's geographic origins and the enduring legacy of those who have borne this distinctive surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tuffley
Among Census respondents with the surname Tuffley, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Tuffley 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 Tuffley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 97
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tuffley
Tuffley 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,539 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+5 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,986 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,539 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+5.0%) | Up 7,986 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 Tuffley 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 | #160,975 | #152,989 | 5.0% |
| Count | 100 | 105 | 5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 17.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tuffley bearers went from 100 to 105 (+5.0% change). The surname moved up 7,986 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #152,989.
FAQ
Tuffley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tuffley?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Tuffley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Tuffley?
Tuffley ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Tuffley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Tuffley.
Has Tuffley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tuffley went from 100 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 5 (+5.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Tuffley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tuffley, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) 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 Tuffley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tuffley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Two or More Races (2.9%), 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 Tuffley (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 Tuffley mean?
An English habitational surname denoting someone from the village of Tuffley in Gloucestershire. 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 Tuffley (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 last name Tuffley?
See how many Americans have the surname Tuffley on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.