UK surname
A locational surname derived from a place of the same name in Cornwall, England.
In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Tesh surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 88, ranked #32,396, down from #24,711 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Gainsborough, Paddocks, Darfield and Hemswell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tesh is 101 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.7%.
1881 census count
63
Ranked #24,711
Modern count
88
2016, ranked #32,396
Peak year
1911
101 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tesh surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tesh surname density by area, 1911 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 | 25 | #28,853 |
| 1861 | historical | 26 | #30,677 |
| 1881 | historical | 63 | #24,711 |
| 1891 | historical | 77 | #27,169 |
| 1901 | historical | 62 | #27,252 |
| 1911 | historical | 101 | #22,589 |
| 1997 | modern | 91 | #28,215 |
| 1998 | modern | 92 | #28,680 |
| 1999 | modern | 84 | #29,700 |
| 2000 | modern | 83 | #29,809 |
| 2001 | modern | 79 | #30,065 |
| 2002 | modern | 79 | #30,499 |
| 2003 | modern | 79 | #30,549 |
| 2004 | modern | 80 | #30,679 |
| 2005 | modern | 72 | #31,730 |
| 2006 | modern | 71 | #32,147 |
| 2007 | modern | 73 | #32,287 |
| 2008 | modern | 76 | #32,279 |
| 2009 | modern | 80 | #32,277 |
| 2010 | modern | 83 | #32,396 |
| 2011 | modern | 87 | #31,905 |
| 2012 | modern | 93 | #31,409 |
| 2013 | modern | 92 | #31,909 |
| 2014 | modern | 90 | #32,309 |
| 2015 | modern | 89 | #32,325 |
| 2016 | modern | 88 | #32,396 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Gainsborough, Paddocks, Darfield, Hemswell, Southwell, Farnsfield and Sheffield. 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 | Gainsborough, Paddocks | Lincolnshire |
| 2 | Darfield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 3 | Hemswell | Lincolnshire |
| 4 | Southwell, Farnsfield | Nottinghamshire |
| 5 | Sheffield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tesh 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 Tesh, 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 Tesh surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tesh 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, Tesh 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 Tesh is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tesh, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname TESH is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English word "tēsc," meaning a clump of trees or a thicket. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a wooded area or a small forest.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name TESH can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, a landowner named Tesco is mentioned, which could be an early variation of the surname TESH.
In the 13th century, records show a person named William Tesche living in Oxfordshire, England. This spelling variation further supports the theory that the name originated from the Old English word "tēsc."
During the 16th century, the name TESH appeared in various historical documents, including parish records and court rolls. One notable individual from this time period was John Tesh, who was born in 1543 in Gloucestershire, England, and served as a member of the local gentry.
In the 17th century, the name TESH spread to other parts of England, and there are records of families with this surname residing in counties such as Yorkshire and Lancashire. One prominent figure was Samuel Tesh, born in 1632 in Yorkshire, who was a successful merchant and landowner.
The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals with the surname TESH. One such person was William Tesh, born in 1745 in Lancashire, who served as a captain in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. Another notable TESH from this era was Elizabeth Tesh, born in 1768 in Yorkshire, who was a renowned author and poet.
In the 19th century, the TESH surname continued to be found throughout England, and some families began to migrate to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One notable figure from this period was Charles Tesh, born in 1821 in Gloucestershire, who was a renowned explorer and naturalist.
As the surname TESH has a long and well-documented history in England, it is likely that many individuals with this name can trace their ancestry back to the medieval period or even earlier, when the name first emerged from its locational origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tesh 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. Yorkshire leads with 31 Teshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.09x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 31 | 5.09x |
| Nottinghamshire | 12 | 14.49x |
| Lincolnshire | 10 | 10.18x |
| Leicestershire | 4 | 5.87x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 0.65x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.67x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 12 Teshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.92x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield | 12 | 61.92x |
| Hemswell | 9 | 11250.00x |
| Ecclesall Bierlow | 8 | 64.62x |
| Greasley | 5 | 267.38x |
| Rawmarsh | 5 | 232.56x |
| Mexborough | 4 | 330.58x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 4 | 18.67x |
| Scalford | 4 | 2857.14x |
| Whitechapel London | 4 | 66.01x |
| Newark Upon Trent | 2 | 67.11x |
| Attercliffe Cum Darnall | 1 | 17.64x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 2.55x |
| Newington | 1 | 4.41x |
| Wallingwells | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Willoughton | 1 | 909.09x |
| York St Maurice | 1 | 86.96x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tesh 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 Tesh 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 Tesh households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 17 |
| Farm Labourer | 3 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Boot Maker | 1 |
| Coach Builder | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Drysalter Etc | 1 |
| Gardener Unemployed N/D | 1 |
| General Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Genl Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Green Grocer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Lithographic Draughtsman | 1 |
| Milliner | 1 |
| N/O | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Plasterer | 1 |
| Printers Joiner (STAD) | 1 |
| Pupil Teacher | 1 |
| Seedsman & Florist | 1 |
| Seedsman & Florist Wife | 1 |
| Student In Training College | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Timber Sawyer | 1 |
| Wood Sawyer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Tesh surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 88 in 2016. That gives Tesh a modern rank of #32,396.
A locational surname derived from a place of the same name in Cornwall, England.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tesh 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.