2000
#1,649
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 19,918
First available Census row
Per 100,000 7.38
Uncommon Last name
Toth
A Hungarian surname derived from the word "tót," meaning Slovak, indicating Slavic ancestry or origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 21,123 Americans carry the last name Toth. That puts it at #1,914 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 6.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 16,227 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Toth 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Toth with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
21K
1 in 16,227
Census rank
#1,914
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
6.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
18K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 18,420 bearers of the surname Toth in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 6.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1914th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Toth, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Toth
The surname Toth has its origins in Hungary, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old Hungarian word "tót," which referred to Slavic peoples, particularly those living in northern Hungary and Slovakia. This term was initially used as an ethnic identifier but eventually became a surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Toth can be found in the Chancery Records of Hungary from the 14th century. These documents mention individuals with the surname, suggesting its widespread usage during that period. Additionally, the name appears in various medieval manuscripts and charters from the region.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Toth was János Toth, a Hungarian humanist scholar and poet born around 1430. He played a significant role in the intellectual and cultural life of Renaissance Hungary, contributing to the advancement of literature and education.
During the 16th century, the name Toth gained prominence in the town of Nagyszombat (now Trnava, Slovakia), which was an important center of learning and cultural exchange. One of the most renowned individuals from this period was Illés Toth, a Hungarian Reformed pastor and writer born in 1618. He authored several theological works and played a crucial role in the spread of Protestantism in the region.
In the 17th century, the surname Toth was associated with the Toth family, a noble Hungarian lineage with estates in the areas of Tolna and Baranya. One of the notable members of this family was István Toth, who served as a military commander and played a significant role in the Hungarian struggle against Ottoman rule.
Another influential figure with the surname Toth was Ágoston Toth, born in 1812. He was a Hungarian writer, journalist, and politician who actively participated in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-49. His writings and advocacy for political reforms contributed to the shaping of modern Hungarian national identity.
As the name Toth spread across different regions of Hungary and neighboring countries, variations in spelling emerged, such as Tóth, Tótt, and Totti. These variations often reflected local linguistic and cultural influences, but they all traced back to the same etymological root.
While the surname Toth has its origins in Hungary and the surrounding areas, it has since been carried by individuals and families across various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. Nonetheless, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Hungarian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Toth
Among Census respondents with the surname Toth, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Toth 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 Toth surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 17,112
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 570
- Two or more races2.6% · 474
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 169
- Black or African American0.3% · 57
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 38
Timeline
Historical Census data for Toth
Toth 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
#1,826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 19,606
-312 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 6.65
Rank movement Down 177 places
2020
#1,914
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 18,420
-1,186 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 6.16
Rank movement Down 88 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,649 | 19,918 | 7.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,826 | 19,606 | 6.65 | -312 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 177 places |
| 2020 | #1,914 | 18,420 | 6.16 | -1,186 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 88 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 Toth 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 | #1,826 | #1,914 | -4.8% |
| Count | 19,606 | 18,420 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 6.65 | 6.16 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Toth bearers went from 19,606 to 18,420 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 88 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,826 to #1,914.
FAQ
Toth surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Toth?
Name Census estimates that about 21,123 living Americans carry the surname Toth. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 16,227 residents.
How common is Toth?
Toth ranks #1,914 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 6.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 18,420 people with the surname Toth. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (21,123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 6.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 6.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Toth.
Has Toth become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Toth went from 19,606 recorded bearers to 18,420. That is a decrease of 1,186 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,826 to #1,914.
What does the Census say about the background of Toth?
Among Census respondents with the surname Toth, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Toth in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (17,112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Toth appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (3.1%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Toth (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 Toth mean?
A Hungarian surname derived from the word "tót," meaning Slovak, indicating Slavic ancestry or origin. 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 Toth (6.16 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 Toth?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Toth? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.