NameCensus.

UK surname

Till

An English occupational surname for a farmer or tiller of the soil.

In the 1881 census there were 2,100 people recorded with the Till surname, ranking it #2,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,744, ranked #2,448, down from #2,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Werburgh and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Stafford and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Till is 2,923 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.7%.

1881 census count

2,100

Ranked #2,103

Modern count

2,744

2016, ranked #2,448

Peak year

1911

2,923 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Till had 2,100 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,744 in 2016, ranked #2,448.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,923 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Till surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Till surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Till 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 1,373 #2,091
1861 historical 1,244 #2,290
1881 historical 2,100 #2,103
1891 historical 2,125 #2,194
1901 historical 2,552 #2,156
1911 historical 2,923 #1,783
1997 modern 2,623 #2,428
1998 modern 2,883 #2,326
1999 modern 2,906 #2,329
2000 modern 2,904 #2,319
2001 modern 2,776 #2,363
2002 modern 2,849 #2,359
2003 modern 2,806 #2,341
2004 modern 2,817 #2,338
2005 modern 2,731 #2,368
2006 modern 2,687 #2,404
2007 modern 2,682 #2,427
2008 modern 2,694 #2,431
2009 modern 2,744 #2,439
2010 modern 2,800 #2,446
2011 modern 2,759 #2,451
2012 modern 2,708 #2,451
2013 modern 2,784 #2,436
2014 modern 2,818 #2,426
2015 modern 2,781 #2,428
2016 modern 2,744 #2,448

Geography

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Where Tills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Werburgh, Portsmouth, Portsea and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Stafford, Cannock Chase and South Staffordshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 018 Walsall
2 Walsall 017 Walsall
3 Stafford 015 Stafford
4 Cannock Chase 002 Cannock Chase
5 South Staffordshire 001 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Till

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Till

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Till surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Till household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Till 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

Till is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Till falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Till is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Till

The surname Till originates from the Old English word "til" or "tilian," meaning "to cultivate" or "to till the soil." This name first emerged in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, between the 5th and 11th centuries.

The earliest known record of the Till surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this record, the name appears as "Tilla," which was likely a occupational surname given to individuals who worked as farmers or tillers of the land.

As the name spread throughout England, it took on various spellings such as Tille, Tylle, and Tyll. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the scribes who recorded the names.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Till surname was John Tyll, who lived in Cambridgeshire in the 13th century. Another notable figure was William Tyll, a merchant from London, who was mentioned in records from the 14th century.

During the medieval period, the Till surname was also associated with certain place names. For instance, the village of Tillingham in Essex was derived from the Old English words "til" and "inga" meaning "the people of the cultivated land."

In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Sir Thomas Till (c. 1516 - 1592) served as the Lord Mayor of London. He was a wealthy merchant and a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.

Another significant individual was Sir John Till (1639 - 1714), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Ipswich in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Reverend William Till (1711 - 1785) was an English clergyman and author, known for his work "The Antiquities of Leeds."

During the 19th century, Sir George Till (1823 - 1901) was a British civil servant and administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal in India from 1890 to 1895.

As the Till surname spread across Europe and beyond, it continued to be associated with agricultural occupations and rural communities. However, over time, it also became more diverse, with individuals bearing this name working in various professions and leaving their mark in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Till families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Till 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. Staffordshire leads with 525 Tills recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.57x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 525 7.57x
Middlesex 249 1.21x
Lancashire 133 0.55x
Yorkshire 114 0.56x
Hampshire 110 2.61x
Surrey 109 1.09x
Kent 108 1.54x
Sussex 98 2.83x
Derbyshire 87 2.71x
Warwickshire 82 1.58x
Gloucestershire 55 1.37x
Worcestershire 55 2.05x
Devon 53 1.24x
Leicestershire 48 2.11x
Essex 44 1.09x
Lincolnshire 36 1.10x
Nottinghamshire 27 0.98x
Norfolk 22 0.70x
Wiltshire 22 1.21x
Suffolk 20 0.80x
Shropshire 15 0.85x
Midlothian 13 0.47x
Cheshire 12 0.26x
Berkshire 10 0.65x
Dorset 9 0.67x
Somerset 9 0.27x
Cumberland 7 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.48x
Monmouthshire 6 0.40x
Northumberland 6 0.20x
Herefordshire 4 0.48x
Renfrewshire 3 0.19x
Hertfordshire 2 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 148 Tills recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.14x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 148 20.14x
Walsall Foreign 41 11.45x
Lambeth 39 2.18x
Portsea 31 3.76x
Islington London 30 1.51x
Shoreditch London 28 3.15x
Birmingham 25 1.45x
Eastoft 23 539.91x
Bromsgrove 22 24.38x
Wolverhampton 22 4.13x
Derby St Peter 21 20.51x
Hammersmith London 21 4.15x
Leeds 20 1.74x
Stafford St Mary 20 20.38x
Burslem 19 9.57x
Thornbury 19 69.02x
Cannock 17 14.06x
Deptford St Paul 16 2.96x
Derby St Alkmund 16 16.61x
Otterton 16 232.90x
West Ham 16 1.79x
Newington 15 1.98x
Polesworth 15 61.00x
Kensington London 14 1.23x
Marden 14 85.21x
Wednesbury 14 8.08x
Bromley London 13 2.88x
Havant 13 61.00x
Hilderstone 13 467.63x
Loughborough 13 12.58x
Brewood 12 60.06x
Camberwell 12 0.91x
Carlton Husthwaite 12 1016.95x
Church Gresley 12 23.46x
Heytesbury 12 181.00x
Limehouse London 12 5.32x
Rochester St Margaret 12 16.24x
St Marylebone London 12 1.09x
Trentham 12 20.36x
Westminster St John 12 4.80x
Willenhall 12 9.24x
Aston 11 0.77x
Bermondsey 11 1.80x
Chelsea London 11 1.78x
Croydon 11 1.98x
Hatherton 11 367.89x
Lancaster 11 7.59x
Leicester St Mary 11 5.98x
Pilling 11 96.15x
St Pancras London 11 0.67x
Stone 11 12.41x
Wednesfield 11 10.78x
Beckenham 10 10.92x
Bolton In Bradford 10 76.63x
Edgbaston 10 6.23x
Higher Booths 10 22.77x
Ryde 10 11.06x
St Giles In The Wood 10 156.99x
Ashby De La Zouch 9 17.06x
Bristol St George 9 4.83x
Crowle 9 241.94x
Hunton 9 146.82x
Lewisham 9 2.41x
Litchurch 9 6.96x
Nateby 9 326.09x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.26x
Shardlow 9 147.54x
Brighton 8 1.15x
Cheriton 8 185.61x
Clerkenwell London 8 1.65x
Darlaston 8 8.35x
Gnosall 8 47.82x
Liverpool 8 0.54x
Midhurst 8 70.48x
Otley 8 16.19x
Penkridge 8 44.77x
Rugby 8 11.42x
Rugeley 8 16.08x
Shenstone 8 45.40x
Westbourne 8 46.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 124
Sarah 85
Elizabeth 76
Alice 41
Annie 41
Ellen 39
Eliza 34
Ann 32
Emma 30
Jane 27
Hannah 26
Emily 23
Florence 18
Lucy 18
Caroline 16
Louisa 16
Martha 16
Clara 15
Fanny 15
Charlotte 13
Maria 13
Ada 12
Margaret 12
Edith 11
Harriet 11
Anne 10
Catherine 9
Ruth 9
Susan 9
Gertrude 8
Kate 8
Harriett 7
Rosa 7
Agnes 6
Frances 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Sophia 5
Bertha 4
Esther 4
Lizzie 4
Lydia 4
Minnie 4
Rachel 4
Rose 4
Susannah 4
Anna 3
Grace 3
Isabella 3
Maude 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 127
John 107
George 91
Thomas 88
James 58
Charles 50
Joseph 48
Henry 46
Frederick 28
Arthur 25
Alfred 24
Edward 23
Richard 18
Harry 15
Ernest 13
Edwin 12
Frank 12
Samuel 12
Walter 12
Albert 11
Herbert 10
Robert 9
Francis 7
Benjamin 6
Stephen 5
Wm. 5
Christopher 4
Frederic 4
Phillip 4
Daniel 3
Fred 3
Geo. 3
Lewis 3
Rupert 3
Sydney 3
Tom 3
Eli 2
Fletcher 2
Fredrick 2
Gordon 2
Hope 2
Hugh 2
Moses 2
Pearson 2
Percy 2
Ralph 2
Roland 2
Rowland 2
Saml. 2
Simeon 2

FAQ

Till surname: questions and answers

How common was the Till surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,100 people were recorded with the Till surname. That placed it at #2,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Till surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,744 in 2016. That gives Till a modern rank of #2,448.

What does the Till surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a farmer or tiller of the soil.

What does the Till map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Till 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.