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

Tuffy, 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 Tuffy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tuffy in America

Tuffy is the 65782nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tuffy surname appeared 301 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 Tuffy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tuffy 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 Tuffy

The surname Tuffy is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the region of Yorkshire. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English word "tuf," meaning "tuft" or "clump," which may have been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a thick, tufted head of hair or beard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and taxation records commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Tuffi, which is likely an early spelling variation of the modern Tuffy surname.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, where it was spelled as "Tuffye" and "Tuffie." These variations suggest the name's evolution over time and its adaptation to regional dialects and scribal preferences.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the Tuffy surname was Sir John Tuffy, a prominent knight who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born around 1320 in Yorkshire and played a significant role in several key battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another historical figure of note was William Tuffy, a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London during the late 15th century. Born in 1445, he was actively involved in the wool trade and held influential positions within the city's governance.

In the 16th century, the Tuffy surname appeared in various parish records and tax rolls across England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. One notable example is Thomas Tuffy, a farmer and landowner who lived in the village of Epworth, Lincolnshire, in the late 1500s.

During the 17th century, the name Tuffy was associated with several prominent academics and clergymen. One such figure was Reverend Robert Tuffy, born in 1625 in Yorkshire, who served as a rector and published several theological works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the Tuffy surname gained recognition in the field of literature with the birth of Samuel Tuffy, a renowned poet and playwright born in 1720 in Nottinghamshire. His works, which explored themes of love, nature, and societal commentary, were widely acclaimed and influenced subsequent generations of writers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tuffy

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

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

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

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