NameCensus.

UK surname

Toal

Of Irish origin, an Anglicized variant of the Gaelic surname Ó Tuathail, meaning "descendant of Tuathal".

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Toal surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,161, ranked #5,085, up from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Brancepeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Parkhead West and Barrowfield, South Lakeland and Carntyne West and Haghill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toal is 1,218 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 836.3%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

1,161

2016, ranked #5,085

Peak year

2010

1,218 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toal had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,161 in 2016, ranked #5,085.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 339 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Toal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toal surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Toal 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 207 #14,546
1901 historical 339 #10,682
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 1,091 #5,102
1998 modern 1,118 #5,189
1999 modern 1,134 #5,166
2000 modern 1,161 #5,042
2001 modern 1,111 #5,125
2002 modern 1,164 #5,037
2003 modern 1,151 #4,988
2004 modern 1,131 #5,071
2005 modern 1,140 #4,980
2006 modern 1,139 #4,976
2007 modern 1,140 #5,021
2008 modern 1,164 #4,956
2009 modern 1,204 #4,929
2010 modern 1,218 #4,978
2011 modern 1,185 #5,039
2012 modern 1,164 #5,036
2013 modern 1,166 #5,116
2014 modern 1,179 #5,103
2015 modern 1,163 #5,103
2016 modern 1,161 #5,085

Geography

Back to top

Where Toals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Brancepeth, Glasgow and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Parkhead West and Barrowfield, South Lakeland, Carntyne West and Haghill, Dundyvan and Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Brancepeth Durham
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Parkhead West and Barrowfield Glasgow City
2 South Lakeland 012 South Lakeland
3 Carntyne West and Haghill Glasgow City
4 Dundyvan North Lanarkshire
5 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Toal

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Toal

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Toal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Toal household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Toal 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

Toal is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Toal 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 Toal 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Toal

The surname TOAL is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "tuathail," which means "people of the territory." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a local chieftain or landowner.

The earliest recorded instances of the TOAL surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The name appears in several entries, indicating its presence in various parts of Ireland at that time.

In the 16th century, the TOAL surname was particularly prevalent in the northern Irish counties of Donegal and Tyrone. Historical records from this period, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Hearth Money Rolls, mention several individuals bearing the name.

One notable bearer of the TOAL surname was Fergus TOAL, a 17th-century Irish soldier who fought in the Confederate Wars of the 1640s. He was a prominent figure in the defense of Limerick against the Cromwellian forces.

Another historically significant TOAL was Patrick TOAL (1768-1831), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar. He was a professor of theology at the Royal College of St. Patrick in Maynooth and authored several works on religious subjects.

In the 19th century, the TOAL surname spread beyond Ireland due to the mass emigration of Irish people during the Great Famine. John TOAL (1815-1896), a prominent Irish-American businessman and politician, served as the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, from 1887 to 1890.

The TOAL surname also found its way to other parts of the English-speaking world. William TOAL (1837-1899), a Scottish-born Canadian politician, served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons representing the district of Lanark North.

Another notable bearer of the TOAL surname was Michael TOAL (1886-1964), an Irish-born Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton Football Club in the early 20th century. He was part of the team that won the 1914 and 1915 VFL (Victorian Football League) premierships.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Toal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toal 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. Lanarkshire leads with 51 Toals recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.36x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 51 13.36x
Lancashire 19 1.36x
Renfrewshire 10 10.93x
Northumberland 7 3.99x
Cumberland 6 5.90x
Durham 6 1.71x
Middlesex 5 0.42x
Midlothian 5 3.16x
Fife 4 5.72x
Essex 2 0.86x
Hampshire 2 0.83x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 11.70x
Anglesey 1 4.78x
Cheshire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 19 Toals recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.67x.

Place Total Index
Barony 19 19.67x
Govan 16 16.95x
Barrow In Furness 9 47.24x
East Greenock 8 92.59x
Gorbals 7 308.37x
Crosscanonby 6 178.57x
Hartlepool 6 120.24x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 65.93x
West Derby 6 14.64x
Glasgow 5 7.38x
South Leith 5 28.11x
Auchtertool 4 1379.31x
Bothwell 4 38.65x
Liverpool 3 3.53x
Brentwood 2 140.85x
Minnigaff 2 312.50x
St Martin In Fields 2 28.29x
St Marylebone London 2 3.17x
Aldershot 1 12.35x
Birkenhead 1 4.81x
Holyhead 1 25.64x
Inverkip 1 46.30x
Kirkdale 1 4.24x
Mile End Old Town 1 5.37x
Port Glasgow 1 22.62x
Portsmouth 1 17.95x
Westgate 1 9.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Bridget 3
Catherine 3
Rose 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.H. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Flor.Cecelia 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
Andrew 3
Peter 3
Daniel 2
Patrick 2
Stephen 2
Francis 1
John 1
Michael 1
Patk. 1
Thomas 1
Thos.H. 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

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 Toal households.

FAQ

Toal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Toal surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,161 in 2016. That gives Toal a modern rank of #5,085.

What does the Toal surname mean?

Of Irish origin, an Anglicized variant of the Gaelic surname Ó Tuathail, meaning "descendant of Tuathal".

What does the Toal map show?

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