Tovrea is a surname. Notable individuals bearing the name include:
- Edward A. Tovrea (1861–1932) – An American cattle baron who became a prominent figure in the livestock industry of the southwestern United States.
- Philip Edward Tovrea Jr. (1920–1982) – An American veteran of World War II.
The surname is associated with several historic landmarks in Phoenix, Arizona, most prominently Tovrea Castle (also known as “the Wedding Cake Castle”), a four‑tiered Italianate structure built between 1929 and 1931. The castle was originally constructed by Italian immigrant Alessio Carraro and was later purchased in 1931 by Edward A. Tovrea and his wife Della. The site, now part of the Phoenix Parks System, is operated by the Tovrea Carraro Society and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The etymology of the name “Tovrea” is not definitively documented in major reference works. Some surname‑origin resources suggest an Italian derivation from the word torre (“tower”), but this interpretation has not been confirmed by authoritative linguistic or genealogical sources. Consequently, the precise linguistic and geographic origins of the surname remain uncertain.
Accurate information is not confirmed regarding the deeper historical and etymological background of the Tovrea surname.