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

Tutor, 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 Tutor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tutor in America

Tutor is the 13483rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tutor surname appeared 2,254 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 Tutor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tutor 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 Tutor

The surname Tutor has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "tuitour," which itself comes from the Latin "tutor," meaning "protector" or "guardian." This name was initially given to those who acted as tutors, instructors, or guardians to young children.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tutor surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a certain William le Tuitur is mentioned. These official records provide valuable insights into the early use of the name and its variant spellings, such as Tutour and Tuitour.

The Tutor surname also appears in various historical manuscripts and records from the 13th century onwards. For example, a Richard le Tutour is mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1221. Additionally, the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1275, where a John le Tutour is listed.

During the medieval period, the Tutor surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, and Buckinghamshire, where many early bearers of the name lived and worked as tutors or guardians. However, it is important to note that the name could also have been adopted as a descriptive surname for someone who performed the role of a tutor or guardian, even if it was not their primary occupation.

One notable individual bearing the Tutor surname was Sir Nicholas Tutor (c. 1450-1515), who served as the tutor to Prince Arthur, the eldest son of King Henry VII. Sir Nicholas was a respected scholar and educator, and his association with the royal family highlights the significance of the Tutor name during the Tudor period.

Another prominent figure was John Tutor (c. 1510-1589), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer. He served as the tutor to several members of the nobility, including the Earl of Leicester and the Earl of Essex. Tutor made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy, publishing works on navigation and astronomical calculations.

In the 17th century, Edward Tutor (1601-1670) was a notable English clergyman and theologian. He served as the tutor to Prince Charles, later King Charles II, during the turbulent years of the English Civil War. Tutor's association with the royal family and his role as a tutor further cemented the surname's connection to education and guardianship.

William Tutor (1635-1696) was an English philosopher and writer who gained recognition for his work on ethics and moral philosophy. He served as a tutor to several noble families, including the Dukes of Somerset and the Earls of Bedford.

Finally, Richard Tutor (1711-1793) was a prominent English author and playwright. Although not primarily a tutor, his literary works often explored themes of education and the role of mentors in shaping young minds, reflecting the significance of the Tutor name and its associations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tutor

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

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

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