UK surname
An English surname derived from an Old French word meaning "gatherer of tax or toll".
In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Tarman surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 26, ranked #36,254, down from #29,082 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Caple, Tudeley, Pembury, St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tarman is 177 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.8%.
1881 census count
32
Ranked #29,082
Modern count
26
2016, ranked #36,254
Peak year
1891
177 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tarman surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tarman surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 18 | #30,094 |
| 1861 | historical | 96 | #21,648 |
| 1881 | historical | 32 | #29,082 |
| 1891 | historical | 177 | #16,330 |
| 1901 | historical | 30 | #30,724 |
| 1911 | historical | 19 | #31,416 |
| 1997 | modern | 17 | #36,181 |
| 1998 | modern | 20 | #35,885 |
| 1999 | modern | 22 | #35,725 |
| 2000 | modern | 20 | #35,915 |
| 2001 | modern | 22 | #35,531 |
| 2002 | modern | 24 | #35,520 |
| 2003 | modern | 28 | #35,200 |
| 2004 | modern | 24 | #35,697 |
| 2005 | modern | 23 | #35,924 |
| 2006 | modern | 25 | #35,903 |
| 2007 | modern | 26 | #35,932 |
| 2008 | modern | 25 | #36,072 |
| 2009 | modern | 23 | #36,313 |
| 2010 | modern | 23 | #36,400 |
| 2011 | modern | 25 | #36,252 |
| 2012 | modern | 22 | #36,431 |
| 2013 | modern | 23 | #36,414 |
| 2014 | modern | 24 | #36,358 |
| 2015 | modern | 26 | #36,228 |
| 2016 | modern | 26 | #36,254 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Caple, Tudeley, Pembury, St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey, St Dunstan Stepney, Trevethin with Pontypool and Clipston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caple, Tudeley, Pembury | Kent |
| 2 | St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Trevethin with Pontypool | Monmouthshire |
| 5 | Clipston | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tarman surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tarman, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Tarman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tarman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Tarman is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tarman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tarman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Tarman is believed to have originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "tār" meaning "tar" and "mann" meaning "man," referring to an occupation related to tar production or someone who worked with tar. The earliest known spelling variations include Tareman and Tarmann.
One of the earliest references to the name is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a John Tarman is mentioned as a resident of Ayrshire. This indicates that the name was already established in Scotland by the 13th century.
In the late 14th century, a Richard Tarman is recorded in the Bain's Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, suggesting the name had spread to other parts of Scotland by this time.
A notable early bearer of the name was William Tarman, who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in local records as a tar merchant and landowner.
During the 16th century, the Tarman family appears to have established themselves in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. Records from this period include mentions of individuals such as John Tarman (born c. 1520 in Irvine, Ayrshire) and Robert Tarman (born c. 1550 in Paisley, Renfrewshire).
In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the name was David Tarman (1620-1686), who was a successful merchant and landowner in Glasgow. He is known to have contributed to the development of the city's trade and commerce during that time.
Throughout the centuries, the Tarman name has been associated with various locations across Scotland, including the towns of Tarbert and Tarbat, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in some cases.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tarman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Buckinghamshire leads with 9 Tarmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.72x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 9 | 47.72x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 2.24x |
| Sussex | 5 | 9.51x |
| Worcestershire | 3 | 7.36x |
| Devon | 2 | 3.08x |
| Essex | 2 | 3.25x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 3.27x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 3.41x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 5.19x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Buckingham in Buckinghamshire leads with 9 Tarmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2368.42x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Buckingham | 9 | 2368.42x |
| Hellingly | 5 | 2777.78x |
| Bethnal Green London | 3 | 22.14x |
| Offenham | 3 | 5000.00x |
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 2 | 34.72x |
| Romford | 2 | 206.19x |
| St George In East | 2 | 94.34x |
| Brackley St Peter | 1 | 500.00x |
| Enfield | 1 | 48.78x |
| Hethe | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Ilsington | 1 | 909.09x |
| St George Hanover | 1 | 24.57x |
| Tormoham | 1 | 36.36x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tarman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tarman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tarman households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 6 |
| Farmers Son | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Lacemaker | 2 |
| Agr Laborer | 1 |
| Book Folder | 1 |
| Farmer Of 111 Acres Employing 2 Men & 1 Boy | 1 |
| Gardner | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Genl Lab Out Of Employmt | 1 |
| Lab (Gen) | 1 |
| Lace Maker | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Patient Wife Of Laborer | 1 |
| Porter Domestic Servt | 1 |
| Retired | 1 |
| Servant Dom | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Tarman surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 26 in 2016. That gives Tarman a modern rank of #36,254.
An English surname derived from an Old French word meaning "gatherer of tax or toll".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tarman bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.