NameCensus.

UK surname

Tolchard

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Tolchard surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 177, ranked #21,230, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Paignton, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Tormoham with Torquay. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Northumberland and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tolchard is 185 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.6%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

177

2016, ranked #21,230

Peak year

2010

185 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tolchard had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016, ranked #21,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 156 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Tolchard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tolchard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tolchard 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 78 #23,836
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 120 #20,545
1911 historical 156 #17,421
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 180 #19,454
2000 modern 183 #19,239
2001 modern 176 #19,415
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 165 #20,401
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 179 #19,467
2006 modern 177 #19,738
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 180 #20,341
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 183 #20,722
2014 modern 182 #20,958
2015 modern 176 #21,291
2016 modern 177 #21,230

Geography

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Where Tolchards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Paignton, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Tormoham with Torquay, Stokenham and Diptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, Northumberland, Teignbridge, Sedgemoor and Carmarthenshire. 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 Paignton Devon
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
4 Stokenham Devon
5 Diptford Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 011 South Hams
2 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
3 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge
4 Sedgemoor 011 Sedgemoor
5 Carmarthenshire 007 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tolchard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tolchard

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Tolchard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tolchard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tolchard is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Tolchard is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tolchard falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Tolchard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tolchard 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. Devon leads with 83 Tolchards recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.93x.

County Total Index
Devon 83 38.93x
Middlesex 6 0.59x
Yorkshire 5 0.49x
Hertfordshire 4 5.67x
Kent 2 0.57x
Cheshire 1 0.44x
Leicestershire 1 0.88x
Shetland 1 9.56x
Shropshire 1 1.13x
Somerset 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Buckfastleigh in Devon leads with 20 Tolchards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2040.82x.

Place Total Index
Buckfastleigh 20 2040.82x
Sherford 9 6428.57x
Diptford 6 2608.70x
Egg Buckland 6 1666.67x
Paddington London 6 15.93x
West Teignmouth 6 368.10x
Ipplepen 5 1724.14x
Northallerton 5 384.62x
Okehampton 5 625.00x
Aveton Gifford 4 1290.32x
Hitchin 4 125.39x
Morleigh 4 10000.00x
Plymouth Charles The 3 31.95x
Ermington 2 256.41x
Exeter St David 2 109.89x
St Budeaux 2 303.03x
Tonbridge 2 15.87x
Withycombe Rawleigh 2 180.18x
Banwell 1 166.67x
Chester St Peter St 1 416.67x
Churchstow 1 769.23x
Devonport 1 40.82x
Lerwick Gulberwick 1 61.73x
Malborough 1 117.65x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 6.09x
Stokenham 1 166.67x
Tormoham 1 11.09x
Wanlip 1 2500.00x
Wembury 1 526.32x
Whitchurch 1 58.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 4
Annie 3
Susan 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Coddellia 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Katherine 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Rosa 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
James 6
John 6
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Frederick 3
Albert 2
Elias 2
George 2
Victor 2
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fredrick 1
Henry 1
Infant 1
Nicholas 1
Oscar 1
Reginald 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tolchard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tolchard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Tolchard surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tolchard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016. That gives Tolchard a modern rank of #21,230.

What does the Tolchard map show?

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