TOTH
The surname Toth is principally of Hungarian origin and is derived from the old Hungarian term tót, which historically referred to a person of Slovak or Slavic background. In Hungarian usage it has therefore become an ethnic or regional identifier, reflecting the close cultural and linguistic ties between Hungary and Slovakia. The name evolved from a descriptive epithet into a hereditary family name that has been passed down through successive generations.
The spelling Toth occurs in numerous variants, including Tott, Tothe, Tottman, Tottie and Tottey, as well as the accented form Tóth. In contemporary Hungary and Slovakia it ranks among the most frequent surnames, occupying a position within the top one hundred in both countries. It is particularly common in the central and eastern regions of Hungary and the southern region of Slovakia, and it can also be found in smaller numbers in Romania, Croatia and the United States, where it largely reflects migration from Central Europe during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The name derives from the Proto‑Slavic root tъtъ, meaning “brave”, and it was used as a popular given name between the eleventh and twelfth centuries before evolving into a hereditary family name.
In addition to its Hungarian roots, the orthographic form Toth also appears in England, where it is documented as early as 1379 in Yorkshire Poll Tax rolls. The English variant is thought to derive from the Danish–Viking personal name Thjod or from the Germanic name Otto, with early witnesses such as Wilhelmus Tothe, Robertus Thotte, George Tott, John Totman and Mary Tottey. The earliest recorded spelling in England is that of Beatrix Totty, dated 1379, and the name survived into the early modern period, appearing in marriage licences and parish registers across London, York and the New England colonies.
Typical given names associated with the Toth surname
Male
- Andras
- Attila
- Csaba
- Gabor
- Istvan
- Laszlo
- Peter
- Robert
- Tamas
- Zoltan
Female
- Andrea
- Anita
- Barbara
- Erika
- Eszter
- Eva
- Gabriella
- Ildiko
- Katalin
- Maria
- Timea
- Zsuzsanna
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Toth in...
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There are approximately 1,321 people named Toth in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,924th most common surname in Britain. Around 20 in a million people in Britain are named Toth.
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Hungary
Language of origin: Hungarian
