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

Tuma, 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 Tuma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tuma in America

Tuma is the 12488th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tuma surname appeared 2,484 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tuma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tuma 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 Tuma

The surname Tuma has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Tuscany, where it can be traced back to the 13th century. Derived from the Latin word "tuma," meaning "swelling" or "tumor," it was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent or distinctive physical characteristic.

In the early records of Tuscany, the name appears with various spellings, such as Tumi, Tummi, and Tummio, reflecting the regional dialects and the evolution of language over time. One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the medieval tax records of the city of Florence, where a certain Giovanni Tuma is mentioned in the year 1287.

The Tuma surname gained prominence in the 14th century, when a branch of the family established itself in the town of Arezzo. Here, the Tumas were involved in the local wool trade, which was a significant economic force in the region during the Renaissance period. In 1428, a Niccolò Tuma is recorded as a prominent merchant and landowner in Arezzo.

As the Tuma family grew and spread throughout Italy, they left their mark in various fields. In the 16th century, a renowned painter named Girolamo Tuma (1528-1597) hailed from the city of Verona and was celebrated for his religious works adorning churches across northern Italy.

The Tuma name also has a connection to the world of literature. Antonio Tuma (1612-1678), a poet and playwright from Naples, gained recognition for his comedic works and satires, which provided a glimpse into the social and cultural life of the time.

Another notable figure bearing the Tuma surname was Francesco Tuma (1742-1810), a Sicilian priest and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Latin texts, earning him a place among the great philologists of his era.

Throughout the centuries, the Tuma name has been carried across borders as families migrated and settled in different parts of Europe and beyond. While the origins of the name can be traced back to Italy, it has since become a part of the diverse tapestry of surnames found worldwide.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tuma

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

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

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

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