NameCensus.

UK surname

Tolan

Derived from the Irish Ó Tuathaláin, meaning "descendant of Tuathalán," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Tolan surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 467, ranked #10,522, up from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lindsey, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig and Greenock West and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tolan is 505 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 178.0%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

467

2016, ranked #10,522

Peak year

2010

505 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tolan had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016, ranked #10,522.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 240 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Tolan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tolan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tolan 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 85 #22,922
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 238 #13,202
1901 historical 240 #13,461
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 468 #9,769
1998 modern 485 #9,825
1999 modern 473 #10,069
2000 modern 452 #10,394
2001 modern 442 #10,388
2002 modern 454 #10,367
2003 modern 459 #10,113
2004 modern 463 #10,074
2005 modern 458 #10,077
2006 modern 462 #10,037
2007 modern 464 #10,113
2008 modern 474 #10,040
2009 modern 481 #10,148
2010 modern 505 #9,985
2011 modern 494 #10,042
2012 modern 470 #10,332
2013 modern 494 #10,104
2014 modern 493 #10,191
2015 modern 478 #10,343
2016 modern 467 #10,522

Geography

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Where Tolans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Gateshead, Birstall and Batley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lindsey, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Greenock West and Central, Hilltown and Port Glasgow Upper East. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
2 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
3 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
4 Hilltown Dundee City
5 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tolan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tolan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tolan, 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 Tolan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Tolan 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Tolan is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tolan 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

Tolan 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 Tolan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Tolan

The surname Tolan is believed to have originated in Ireland, where it was first recorded in the 12th century. It is likely derived from the Irish Gaelic word "tolán," meaning "homestead" or "small village." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in a small settlement or homestead.

In ancient Irish records, the name is sometimes spelled as "Tolane" or "Tolain." One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The Annals mention a man named Tadhg Tolain, who was a prominent figure in County Sligo during the 13th century.

The Tolan surname is particularly associated with counties Mayo and Sligo in the western part of Ireland. It is believed that many families bearing this name can trace their ancestry back to these regions. In the 16th century, the name appears in various land records and legal documents related to the Gaelic nobility and landowners of the area.

One notable figure with the surname Tolan was Patrick Tolan, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a member of the influential O'Conor clan and served as a chief advisor to the last great King of Connacht, Red Hugh O'Donnell. Patrick Tolan played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the region during the Nine Years' War against English forces.

Another prominent individual with the Tolan surname was John Tolan, a 17th-century Catholic priest and philosopher. Born in County Mayo around 1620, he received his education at the Irish College in Lisbon, Portugal, and later served as a professor of philosophy and theology at various universities across Europe.

In the 18th century, James Tolan, born in 1745 in County Sligo, was a notable figure in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He fought alongside the United Irishmen, a republican revolutionary group seeking to end British rule in Ireland. James Tolan was captured and executed by British forces in 1798 for his involvement in the rebellion.

The Tolan name also appears in historical records related to the Irish diaspora and emigration to other parts of the world. For example, in the early 19th century, a family bearing the surname Tolan settled in Newfoundland, Canada, where they established themselves as prominent merchants and landowners.

Throughout history, the Tolan surname has maintained its strong association with its Irish roots and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including politics, religion, and military affairs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tolan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tolan 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. Yorkshire leads with 53 Tolans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.26x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 53 3.26x
Lanarkshire 36 6.79x
Lancashire 28 1.44x
Renfrewshire 14 11.02x
Roxburghshire 5 16.85x
Durham 4 0.82x
Midlothian 4 1.82x
Northumberland 4 1.64x
Dunbartonshire 3 6.81x
Middlesex 3 0.18x
Hampshire 2 0.60x
Kent 2 0.36x
Shropshire 2 1.41x
Stirlingshire 2 3.31x
Ayrshire 1 0.82x
Caernarfonshire 1 1.51x
Cheshire 1 0.28x
Derbyshire 1 0.39x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x
Wiltshire 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wardleworth in Lancashire leads with 19 Tolans recorded in 1881 and an index of 171.02x.

Place Total Index
Wardleworth 19 171.02x
Heckmondwike 15 287.36x
Dalziel 11 192.98x
Govan 11 8.39x
Northowram 11 96.58x
Abbey 8 41.28x
Hunslet 8 31.60x
Glasgow 7 7.44x
Halifax 6 25.17x
Spotland 6 27.75x
Roxburgh 5 877.19x
Barony 4 2.98x
Byker 4 33.20x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 4 263.16x
Dumbarton 3 48.94x
Holy Trinity 3 7.68x
Leeds 3 3.27x
West Greenock 3 13.16x
Brading 2 44.84x
Falkirk 2 14.13x
Hamilton 2 13.53x
Hartlepool 2 28.86x
Linthorpe 2 20.64x
Liverpool 2 1.69x
Port Glasgow 2 32.57x
Shifnal 2 52.08x
Swinefleet 2 285.71x
Bangor 1 15.65x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 18.02x
Birmingham 1 0.73x
Carluke 1 20.79x
Folkestone 1 9.23x
Gateshead 1 2.74x
Guisbrough 1 28.17x
Hackney London 1 1.09x
Hampstead London 1 3.92x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 4.74x
Holbeck 1 9.29x
Largs 1 34.60x
Lewisham 1 3.35x
Marston Upon Dove 1 121.95x
Neilston 1 15.70x
St George Hanover 1 4.68x
Stockport 1 5.37x
Swindon 1 8.90x
Walton On Hill 1 9.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 14
Edward 6
James 5
Michael 4
Patrick 4
Thomas 4
William 4
Anthony 3
Bernard 1
Martin 1

FAQ

Tolan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tolan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Tolan surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tolan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016. That gives Tolan a modern rank of #10,522.

What does the Tolan surname mean?

Derived from the Irish Ó Tuathaláin, meaning "descendant of Tuathalán," a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Tolan map show?

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