Where Does the Tufte Surname Come From?

Tufte is best understood together with Tufts: both are English spellings of one family name. The family name meaning is “A dweller at a toft, a yard enclosing a residence”, the same as for Tufts.

How the spelling arose

Tufte is listed among the recognised spellings of Tufts. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms. Related forms: Tuft, Tuff and Tuis.

Surname statistics

553 Americans were listed as Tufte in the 2010 census. That is enough to place it in the top 50,000 American surnames.

Tufte coat of arms

Looking for a Tufte coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours.

Want more than a summary? See the Tufte family name pack.