2000
#108,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 152
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Tvrdy
A surname derived from the Czech word meaning "hard" or "tough".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 303 Americans carry the last name Tvrdy. That puts it at #78,145 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,131,202 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tvrdy 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.
Bearers in the US
303
1 in 1,131,202
Census rank
#78,145
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
264
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 264 bearers of the surname Tvrdy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 78145th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tvrdy, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tvrdy
The surname TVRDY is of Czech origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era in the region of Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. The name itself is derived from the Czech word "tvrdy," meaning "hard" or "firm," suggesting a connection to an ancestor's physical strength, resilience, or perhaps a stubborn personality trait.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the TVRDY surname can be found in the Bohemian land records dating back to the 14th century, where it appears as a reference to a landowner or a prominent figure in a particular locality. The name may have also been influenced by the Old Czech word "tvrz," which translates to "fortress" or "stronghold," implying a potential association with military service or residence in a fortified settlement.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the TVRDY surname gained prominence in various regions of Bohemia, with notable individuals bearing this name appearing in historical documents and records. Among them was Jan Tvrdy, a respected scholar and humanist who lived in the late 15th century and contributed significantly to the intellectual and cultural life of the time.
In the 17th century, the TVRDY surname found its way into the annals of Bohemian literature through the works of the renowned poet and playwright, Vaclav Tvrdy (1593-1649), whose literary contributions played a pivotal role in shaping the Czech language and literary tradition.
The 18th century saw the emergence of another notable figure with the TVRDY surname, Josef Tvrdy (1712-1782), a distinguished composer and musician who gained recognition for his contributions to the classical music scene of his era.
As the TVRDY name spread beyond Bohemia, it also found a foothold in other regions of Central and Eastern Europe. One noteworthy individual was the Polish military leader and statesman, Casimir Tvrdy (1825-1898), who played a significant role in the struggle for Polish independence during the 19th century.
Throughout its history, the TVRDY surname has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from scholars and artists to military leaders and landowners. Its enduring presence across generations serves as a testament to the resilience and perseverance that the name itself embodies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tvrdy
Among Census respondents with the surname Tvrdy, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Tvrdy 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 Tvrdy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 255
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 4
- Two or more races1.5% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tvrdy
Tvrdy 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
-30 bearers (-19.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 29,174 places
2020
#78,145
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 264
+142 bearers (+116.4%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 59,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #108,153 | 152 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | -30 bearers (-19.7%) | Down 29,174 places |
| 2020 | #78,145 | 264 | 0.09 | +142 bearers (+116.4%) | Up 59,182 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 Tvrdy 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 | #137,327 | #78,145 | 43.1% |
| Count | 122 | 264 | 116.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.09 | 120.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tvrdy bearers went from 122 to 264 (+116.4% change). The surname moved up 59,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #78,145.
FAQ
Tvrdy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tvrdy?
Name Census estimates that about 303 living Americans carry the surname Tvrdy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,131,202 residents.
How common is Tvrdy?
Tvrdy ranks #78,145 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 264 people with the surname Tvrdy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (303), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Tvrdy.
Has Tvrdy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tvrdy went from 122 recorded bearers to 264. That is an increase of 142 (+116.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #137,327 to #78,145.
What does the Census say about the background of Tvrdy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tvrdy, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Tvrdy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (255 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tvrdy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%), Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Tvrdy (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 Tvrdy mean?
A surname derived from the Czech word meaning "hard" or "tough". 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 Tvrdy (0.09 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 Tvrdy?
See how many Americans have the surname Tvrdy on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.