2010
#131,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tootoo
An Inuit surname possibly derived from the word 'tuttu' meaning 'caribou'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 155 Americans carry the last name Tootoo. That puts it at #131,120 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,211,318 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tootoo 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
155
1 in 2,211,318
Census rank
#131,120
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
135
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 135 bearers of the surname Tootoo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 131120th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tootoo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.6%) and White (7.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tootoo
The surname TOOTOO is believed to have originated in the Inuit communities of the Canadian Arctic region, particularly in the areas of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The name is thought to be derived from the Inuit language, with possible roots in words related to naming traditions or geographic features.
In the historical context, the TOOTOO surname is closely tied to the indigenous Inuit culture, which has a rich oral tradition and a deep connection to the Arctic landscape. Records of the name can be traced back to the early 19th century, when European explorers and missionaries first encountered and documented the Inuit people in the Canadian Arctic.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the TOOTOO surname was Tookoolito, an Inuit woman born around 1838 in the area now known as Nunavut. She gained recognition for her contributions as a guide and interpreter during several Arctic expeditions, including the search for the ill-fated Franklin expedition.
Another notable figure was Kingoaloak TOOTOO, born in the late 19th century on the Boothia Peninsula in present-day Nunavut. He was a respected Inuit leader and hunter who played a crucial role in assisting the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913-1916, providing invaluable knowledge and expertise to the explorers.
In more recent times, Joanasie TOOTOO, born in 1953 in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, gained prominence as a skilled carver and artist. His sculptures, depicting Inuit life and traditions, have been exhibited in galleries across Canada and internationally, earning him numerous awards and recognition.
Hunter TOOTOO, born in 1962 in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, made history as the first Inuit member of the Canadian Parliament, serving as a Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2019. He also held various ministerial positions, including Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Jordin TOOTOO, born in 1983 in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, achieved fame as the first Inuit player in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for several teams, including the Nashville Predators and the Chicago Blackhawks, and has been an inspiration to many young Inuit athletes.
The TOOTOO surname continues to be prominently associated with the Inuit communities of the Canadian Arctic, carrying a rich cultural heritage and a connection to the land and traditions of the indigenous people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tootoo
Among Census respondents with the surname Tootoo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.6%) and White (7.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Tootoo 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 Tootoo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander73.3% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino12.6% · 17
- White7.4% · 10
- Two or more races5.9% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tootoo
Tootoo appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#131,120
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
+6 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 259 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #131,379 | 129 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #131,120 | 135 | 0.05 | +6 bearers (+4.7%) | Up 259 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 Tootoo 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 | #131,379 | #131,120 | 0.2% |
| Count | 129 | 135 | 4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 12.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tootoo bearers went from 129 to 135 (+4.7% change). The surname moved up 259 positions in the national ranking, going from #131,379 to #131,120.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Tootoo
FAQ
Tootoo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tootoo?
Name Census estimates that about 155 living Americans carry the surname Tootoo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,211,318 residents.
How common is Tootoo?
Tootoo ranks #131,120 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 135 people with the surname Tootoo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (155), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Tootoo.
Has Tootoo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tootoo went from 129 recorded bearers to 135. That is an increase of 6 (+4.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #131,379 to #131,120.
What does the Census say about the background of Tootoo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tootoo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.6%) and White (7.4%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Tootoo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.3% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tootoo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (73.3%), Hispanic (12.6%), White (7.4%). 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 Tootoo (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 Tootoo mean?
An Inuit surname possibly derived from the word 'tuttu' meaning 'caribou'. 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 Tootoo (0.05 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 Americans have the surname Tootoo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.