NameCensus.

UK surname

Tisdall

A habitational name from a place with Middle English "tis" meaning ivy and "dall" meaning valley.

In the 1881 census there were 148 people recorded with the Tisdall surname, ranking it #15,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 286, ranked #15,240, up from #15,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Hastings and West Lancashire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tisdall is 318 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.2%.

1881 census count

148

Ranked #15,611

Modern count

286

2016, ranked #15,240

Peak year

1999

318 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tisdall had 148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016, ranked #15,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Tisdall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tisdall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tisdall 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 148 #15,611
1891 historical 146 #18,664
1901 historical 197 #15,272
1911 historical 197 #15,101
1997 modern 294 #13,707
1998 modern 311 #13,550
1999 modern 318 #13,444
2000 modern 294 #14,105
2001 modern 282 #14,294
2002 modern 300 #13,990
2003 modern 302 #13,752
2004 modern 292 #14,109
2005 modern 268 #14,905
2006 modern 275 #14,732
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 271 #15,182
2009 modern 280 #15,141
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 274 #15,571
2012 modern 266 #15,828
2013 modern 283 #15,401
2014 modern 278 #15,692
2015 modern 287 #15,235
2016 modern 286 #15,240

Geography

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Where Tisdalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, St Pancras and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Hastings, West Lancashire, Islington and Westminster. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 010 Bassetlaw
2 Hastings 005 Hastings
3 West Lancashire 014 West Lancashire
4 Islington 019 Islington
5 Westminster 018 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tisdall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tisdall

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Tisdall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Tisdall 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tisdall is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tisdall is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tisdall 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 Tisdall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tisdall

The surname Tisdall has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name, derived from the Old English words "tid" meaning "time" and "halh" meaning "nook" or "remote valley." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a secluded area or a specific location in the English countryside.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tisdall can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry relates to a person named Tisteldall, which is likely an early variant spelling of the surname.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Tisteldall, Tisteldell, Tystydall, and Tisdell, before settling into the more modern form of Tisdall. These variations can be attributed to regional dialects, as well as the inconsistencies in record-keeping and spelling during the medieval and early modern periods.

The Tisdall surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was Sir John Tisdall (c. 1580-1649), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wigan during the reign of King Charles I.

Another prominent figure was William Tisdall (1669-1735), an Anglican clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Castleknock in Ireland. He was known for his work "The Doctrine of the Church of England," which defended the Church's teachings against the criticisms of Roman Catholics and Dissenters.

In the 19th century, James Tisdall (1817-1892) was a British army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for valor, for his actions during the Siege of Lucknow in 1857.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Cuthbert Tisdall (1876-1935) was a renowned British army officer and linguist who served in India and was fluent in several South Asian languages. He was also a prolific author, writing books on various topics related to the region.

More recently, William St. Clair Tisdall (1890-1972) was a prominent Anglican missionary and writer who worked extensively in the Middle East and Central Asia. He was known for his expertise in Islam and his efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and understanding.

While the Tisdall surname may have originated from a specific location in England, it has since spread across various regions and countries, carried by individuals who have left their mark on various fields, including law, religion, military, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tisdall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tisdall 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. Middlesex leads with 71 Tisdalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.85x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 71 4.85x
Lancashire 16 0.92x
Warwickshire 12 3.25x
Kent 11 2.20x
Staffordshire 8 1.62x
Sussex 8 3.24x
Surrey 7 0.98x
Aberdeenshire 4 2.95x
Gloucestershire 4 1.39x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.01x
Yorkshire 2 0.14x
Channel Islands 1 2.31x
Essex 1 0.35x
Hampshire 1 0.33x
Oxfordshire 1 1.11x
Royal Navy 1 5.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 21 Tisdalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.81x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 21 14.81x
Kensington London 13 15.98x
Hammersmith London 11 30.52x
Acton 10 116.55x
Sutton Coldfield 10 257.73x
Brighton 8 16.08x
Walsall Foreign 8 31.36x
West Derby 7 13.78x
Biddenden 6 882.35x
St Luke London 6 25.56x
Croydon 5 12.64x
Moss Side 5 54.70x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 14.14x
Beckenham 4 61.26x
Clifton 4 27.57x
Liverpool 4 3.79x
Shoreditch London 4 6.31x
St Pancras London 4 3.40x
Aston 2 1.97x
Hampstead London 2 8.78x
Hemsworth 2 240.96x
Lambeth 1 0.78x
Lenton 1 21.55x
Minster In Sheppey 1 12.09x
Nottingham St Nicholas 1 37.17x
Oxford St Mary Virgin 1 625.00x
Portsmouth 1 14.49x
Rotherhithe 1 5.53x
Royal Navy 1 6.71x
South Weald 1 40.49x
St Helier 1 7.09x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
William 8
Charles 6
George 5
Joseph 5
Alfred 3
Sydney 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Sidney 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Chas.E. 1
Claude 1
Esmond 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
James 1
Jno. 1
Richard 1
Vernon 1
Walter 1
Wilm. 1

FAQ

Tisdall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tisdall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 148 people were recorded with the Tisdall surname. That placed it at #15,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tisdall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016. That gives Tisdall a modern rank of #15,240.

What does the Tisdall surname mean?

A habitational name from a place with Middle English "tis" meaning ivy and "dall" meaning valley.

What does the Tisdall map show?

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