Explore the Family Name Tor
The meaning of Tor
1. Catalan: habitational name from any of the places called Tor, from tor, an old variant of torre ‘tower’. 2. Polish: perhaps from the word tor ‘track’, torować ‘to clear, to show the way’ or a variant of Tur. Alternatively, an adaptation of German Thor. 3. Scandinavian and German: variant of Thor. 4. Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from tor ‘inexperienced’, regionally or archaically also e.g. ‘shy’, or perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman, from tor ‘fishing net’. 5. Turkish (Tör): ornamental name or perhaps a status name from archaic or regional tör ‘the best place in a house or room where respectable people sit’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tor in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Tor has seen a surge in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was the 67,317th most common surname, but by 2010, it had risen to the 54,752nd spot — an increase of almost 19 percent. The number of people with this surname also grew by over 37 percent during the same period, from 274 to 376. Consequently, the proportion of people named Tor per 100,000 increased by 30 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #67,317 | #54,752 | 18.67% |
| Count | 274 | 376 | 37.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.13 | 30% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tor
When it comes to the ethnicity of individuals with the surname Tor, the Decennial U.S. Census information shows interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The largest ethnic identity associated with this surname is Asian/Pacific Islander, which saw an increase from about 32.5% to 36.17%. However, the most significant change was observed within the Black community, where the representation nearly tripled from 5.47% to 11.97%. Meanwhile, the percentage of White individuals with this surname decreased by approximately 18%. While the representation of Hispanics slightly increased from 8.03% to 8.51%, there was no recorded data for those identifying as two or more races or as American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 48.18% | 39.36% | -18.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 32.48% | 36.17% | 11.36% |
| Black | 5.47% | 11.97% | 118.83% |
| Hispanic | 8.03% | 8.51% | 5.98% |
| Two or More Races | 5.84% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |