NameCensus.

UK surname

Tickle

An English surname derived from the Old English word "titilian" meaning to tickle or touch lightly.

In the 1881 census there were 1,341 people recorded with the Tickle surname, ranking it #3,056 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,571, ranked #3,946, down from #3,056 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Liverpool and Warrington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tickle is 1,948 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.2%.

1881 census count

1,341

Ranked #3,056

Modern count

1,571

2016, ranked #3,946

Peak year

1911

1,948 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tickle had 1,341 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,056 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,571 in 2016, ranked #3,946.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,948 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Tickle surname distribution map

The map shows where the Tickle surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Tickle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tickle over time

The 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 701 #3,723
1861 historical 733 #3,720
1881 historical 1,341 #3,056
1891 historical 1,484 #2,965
1901 historical 1,705 #3,023
1911 historical 1,948 #2,550
1997 modern 1,699 #3,511
1998 modern 1,676 #3,677
1999 modern 1,720 #3,622
2000 modern 1,711 #3,621
2001 modern 1,685 #3,607
2002 modern 1,682 #3,676
2003 modern 1,669 #3,641
2004 modern 1,669 #3,637
2005 modern 1,591 #3,745
2006 modern 1,597 #3,745
2007 modern 1,619 #3,733
2008 modern 1,617 #3,759
2009 modern 1,666 #3,750
2010 modern 1,710 #3,738
2011 modern 1,664 #3,785
2012 modern 1,583 #3,889
2013 modern 1,649 #3,806
2014 modern 1,622 #3,893
2015 modern 1,596 #3,909
2016 modern 1,571 #3,946

Geography

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Where Tickles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Liverpool, Warrington, West Bromwich and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens and Chorley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wigan Lancashire
2 Liverpool Lancashire
3 Warrington Lancashire
4 West Bromwich Staffordshire
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 013 St. Helens
2 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
3 Chorley 012 Chorley
4 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 022 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tickle

These lists show first names that appear often with the Tickle surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tickle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tickle, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Tickle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tickle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tickle is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tickle is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tickle falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tickle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tickle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tickle

The surname "TICKLE" is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "tician," which means "to excite" or "to rouse." The name may have been given as a nickname to someone who had a habit of tickling or teasing others.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "TICKLE" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership and taxation in England. The name appears as "Ticchel," which was likely an early spelling variation.

In the 13th century, the name "TICKLE" appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, where a person named "Robert Tykyl" was mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been influenced by the Old French word "tiqueler," which means "to tickle."

During the 16th century, the name "TICKLE" gained prominence in various regions of England. In 1567, a man named Thomas Tickle was born in Derbyshire, England. He was a notable figure in the local community and served as a church warden.

In the 17th century, the name "TICKLE" appeared in various literary works. One notable example is the play "The Country Wife" by William Wycherley, which featured a character named "Mr. Tickle." This character was known for his jovial and playful nature, which may have been a reference to the meaning of the surname.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with the surname "TICKLE" was Richard Tickle, who was born in 1726 in Yorkshire, England. He was a renowned architect and designed several notable buildings in the region, including the York Assembly Rooms.

Another notable figure with the surname "TICKLE" was John Tickle, who was born in 1789 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a prominent educator and author, and his works on teaching methods were widely influential during his time.

The 19th century saw the surname "TICKLE" spread to various parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as a result of immigration from England. One notable figure with this surname was Samuel Tickle, who was born in 1842 in Staffordshire, England. He later emigrated to Canada and became a successful businessman and philanthropist.

Throughout history, the surname "TICKLE" has been associated with various place names and locations in England, such as Tickle Combe in Somerset and Tickle Hill in Derbyshire. These place names may have been derived from the surname or vice versa, reflecting the historical connections between names and geographic locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tickle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tickle surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 805 Tickles recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 805 5.19x
Cheshire 209 7.25x
Devon 75 2.76x
Staffordshire 56 1.27x
Middlesex 34 0.26x
Cornwall 30 2.03x
Cumberland 22 1.96x
Worcestershire 17 1.00x
Northumberland 16 0.82x
Warwickshire 16 0.49x
Durham 15 0.39x
Essex 13 0.50x
Surrey 8 0.13x
Yorkshire 6 0.05x
Gloucestershire 4 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.23x
Somerset 3 0.14x
Derbyshire 2 0.10x
Royal Navy 2 1.28x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eccleston In Prescot in Lancashire leads with 81 Tickles recorded in 1881 and an index of 104.10x.

Place Total Index
Eccleston In Prescot 81 104.10x
Wigan 63 29.09x
Warrington 50 27.21x
Liverpool 43 4.57x
Sutton 40 76.95x
West Bromwich 38 15.05x
Ashton In Makerfield 26 58.92x
Hindley 25 37.83x
Toxteth Park 25 4.76x
Burton 24 2033.90x
Parr 23 41.48x
Runcorn 23 34.60x
Windle 23 26.37x
Manchester 22 3.16x
Pemberton 21 33.98x
West Derby 20 4.41x
Kirkdale 18 6.90x
Dukinfield 17 12.76x
Pendleton In Salford 17 9.21x
Widnes 17 15.21x
Birkenhead 16 6.96x
Tranmere 15 14.15x
Westleigh 15 42.61x
Ardwick 14 10.01x
Northfield 14 43.26x
Plymouth Charles The 14 11.69x
Allostock 13 580.36x
Beaworthy 13 984.85x
Shevington 13 183.36x
Westhoughton 13 31.43x
Birmingham 12 1.09x
Plymouth St Andrew 12 5.73x
Everton 11 2.23x
Helsby 11 303.03x
Islington London 11 0.87x
Preston On Hill 11 438.25x
Pennington In Leigh 10 33.62x
Walton Le Dale 10 24.01x
Aspull 9 24.68x
Astley 9 75.25x
St Stephen 9 171.76x
Tamerton Foliott 9 172.08x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 6.50x
Cockermouth 8 33.80x
Ince In Makerfield 8 11.09x
Latchford 8 41.78x
Lydiate 8 165.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 7.94x
Wanstead 8 17.72x
Whitburn 8 88.30x
Bermondsey 7 1.80x
Birtley 7 44.14x
Blackrod 7 36.34x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.27x
Coxlodge 7 47.36x
Crosscanonby 7 18.82x
Hulme 7 2.16x
Kingsley 7 130.35x
Little Bolton 7 3.51x
Menheniot 7 114.01x
Rumworth 7 31.60x
Wednesbury 7 6.35x
Willaston In Wirral 7 338.16x
Ashcombe 6 674.16x
Beerferris 6 113.21x
Formby 6 34.19x
Harborne 6 4.25x
Heaton Norris 6 6.80x
Huyton With Roby 6 33.04x
Rainhill 6 60.42x
Wrightington 6 88.76x
Appleton 5 76.57x
Aston By Budworth 5 247.52x
Billinge Higher End 5 79.62x
Garston 5 10.93x
Keckwick 5 1111.11x
Little Neston 5 108.23x
Prescot 5 17.84x
St Marylebone London 5 0.72x
West Ham 5 0.88x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tickle surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 112
Elizabeth 60
Sarah 49
Alice 41
Ellen 36
Ann 33
Jane 32
Margaret 23
Martha 21
Hannah 20
Annie 12
Catherine 11
Eliza 10
Emma 8
Edith 7
Agnes 6
Lucy 6
Caroline 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Kate 5
Maria 5
Rebecca 5
Betsy 4
Fanny 4
Grace 4
Isabella 4
Jessie 4
Ada 3
Bertha 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Dorothy 3
Eleanor 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Harriet 3
Lydia 3
Maggie 3
Margt. 3
Betty 2
Emily 2
Emmeline 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Lily 2
Mabel 2
Margt 2
Sophia 2
Dora 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tickle surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 112
William 93
James 52
Thomas 43
Joseph 37
Peter 33
Robert 29
Richard 27
Samuel 24
George 19
Henry 19
Charles 12
Alfred 9
Albert 8
Wm. 8
Thos. 7
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Walter 5
Benjamin 4
Gilbert 4
Francis 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Mathew 3
Andrew 2
Arnold 2
Bryan 2
Dalton 2
David 2
Elijah 2
Enoch 2
Evan 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Harvey 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Infant 2
Jas. 2
Joshua 2
Matthew 2
Robt. 2
Simon 2
Wm.Jas. 2
Balfour 1
Digby 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Elias 1

FAQ

Tickle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tickle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,341 people were recorded with the Tickle surname. That placed it at #3,056 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tickle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,571 in 2016. That gives Tickle a modern rank of #3,946.

What does the Tickle surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "titilian" meaning to tickle or touch lightly.

What does the Tickle map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tickle bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.