NameCensus.

UK surname

Tohill

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic words "tó" meaning territory or land and "choill" meaning woods, referring to someone from a wooded region.

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Tohill surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, up from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Harlow and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tohill is 138 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 792.3%.

1881 census count

13

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

2012

138 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tohill had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Tohill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tohill surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tohill 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 13 #31,761
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 12 #32,772
1911 historical 11 #32,463
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 130 #25,547
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Tohills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside, Harlow, Knowsley and West Oxfordshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 001 Tameside
2 Harlow 003 Harlow
3 Knowsley 016 Knowsley
4 Harlow 009 Harlow
5 West Oxfordshire 008 West Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tohill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tohill

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

Spacious Rural Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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, Tohill 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

Tohill 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

Tohill falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tohill 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 Tohill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tohill

The surname Tohill has its origins in Ireland, where it is believed to have emerged in the 17th century. It is a derivative of the Irish Gaelic name "O'Tomhaill," which translates to "descendant of Tomhall." The name Tomhall itself is a combination of the Gaelic elements "tom," meaning "hill," and "all," meaning "mighty" or "powerful."

One of the earliest records of the surname Tohill can be found in the "Annals of the Four Masters," a 17th-century chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a family named O'Tomhaill residing in the county of Donegal in the early 1600s. This suggests that the Tohill surname may have originated from this region.

During the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century, many Irish families, including the O'Tomhaills, were displaced from their ancestral lands. As a result, the name Tohill began to spread across different parts of Ireland and even to other regions of the British Isles.

One notable bearer of the Tohill surname was Patrick Tohill, a renowned Irish poet who lived in the late 18th century. His works, which celebrated Irish culture and traditions, played a significant role in preserving the country's literary heritage.

In the 19th century, the Tohill family gained prominence in County Antrim, where several members held prominent positions in local government and business. One such individual was James Tohill (1810-1892), a successful merchant and landowner who served as a magistrate in the town of Ballymena.

Another notable figure with the Tohill surname was Bridget Tohill (1835-1912), a Irish-American labor activist and trade unionist. She played a pivotal role in organizing strikes and advocating for better working conditions for women in the textile industry in New York City.

As with many Irish surnames, variations in spelling occurred over time. Some alternative spellings of Tohill include Tohil, Tohile, and Tohill. Additionally, the name has been associated with certain place names, such as Tohill Lough in County Antrim, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region.

Throughout history, the Tohill surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including writers, activists, politicians, and entrepreneurs. Despite its relatively obscure origins, the name has left an indelible mark on the cultural and social fabric of Ireland and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tohill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tohill 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. Dunbartonshire leads with 9 Tohills recorded in 1881 and an index of 263.93x.

County Total Index
Dunbartonshire 9 263.93x
Lancashire 3 1.99x
Surrey 1 1.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dumbarton in Dunbartonshire leads with 9 Tohills recorded in 1881 and an index of 1914.89x.

Place Total Index
Dumbarton 9 1914.89x
Wigan 3 142.86x
Lambeth 1 9.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1
Neal 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 Tohill households.

FAQ

Tohill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tohill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Tohill surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tohill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Tohill a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Tohill surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic words "tó" meaning territory or land and "choill" meaning woods, referring to someone from a wooded region.

What does the Tohill map show?

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