NameCensus.

UK surname

Tole

A Spanish surname derived from the Spanish verb "toler" meaning "to seize" or "to take".

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Tole surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 194, ranked #19,976, down from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ05, Knowsley and Maddiston and Rumford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tole is 215 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.9%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

194

2016, ranked #19,976

Peak year

1998

215 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tole had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016, ranked #19,976.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 178 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Tole surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tole surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tole 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 118 #15,362
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 178 #16,284
1911 historical 149 #17,937
1997 modern 183 #18,642
1998 modern 215 #17,306
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 181 #19,106
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 193 #18,572
2006 modern 184 #19,254
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 168 #20,828
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 181 #20,738
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 191 #19,802
2013 modern 196 #19,790
2014 modern 199 #19,775
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 194 #19,976

Geography

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Where Toles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Willesden, Stony Stratford and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ05, Knowsley, Maddiston and Rumford, Bradford and South Somerset. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Stony Stratford Northamptonshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ05 West Dunbartonshire
2 Knowsley 005 Knowsley
3 Maddiston and Rumford Falkirk
4 Bradford 004 Bradford
5 South Somerset 010 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tole

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tole

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Tole surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Tole household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tole 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

Tole is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tole falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tole

The surname Tole has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France. It is believed to have derived from the Basque word 'tola', which means a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive term referring to someone who lived near or on a small hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tole can be found in the medieval Codex de Roda, a 10th century manuscript containing charters and documents from the Kingdom of Navarre. This reference dates back to the year 992, suggesting that the name was already in use in the region during that time period.

In the 13th century, the Tole family was mentioned in various records from the city of Bayonne, located in the Basque region of southwestern France. These records indicate that members of the family held positions of prominence within the local community.

The name Tole has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Juan de Tole, a 16th century Basque navigator and explorer who accompanied the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in 1519. Another was Miguel de Tole, a 17th century Spanish painter known for his religious works commissioned by various churches and monasteries in Navarre and the surrounding areas.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Tole family settled in the Basque region of northern Spain, where they became involved in the local wool trade. One member of this family, Pedro Tole (1721-1798), gained recognition for his efforts in improving the quality and production of wool in the region.

Another individual of note was Ignacio Tole (1812-1889), a Basque architect who designed several prominent buildings in the city of San Sebastián, including the Basilica of Santa Maria del Coro and the Palacio de Miramar.

Throughout history, variations of the spelling have included Tolle, Tolez, and Tolet, reflecting the name's Basque origins and the influence of other languages in the region over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tole families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tole 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. Lancashire leads with 29 Toles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.72x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 29 1.72x
Buckinghamshire 18 20.91x
Middlesex 17 1.19x
Lanarkshire 12 2.61x
Devon 11 3.71x
Cheshire 8 2.54x
Durham 8 1.89x
Yorkshire 8 0.57x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 29.10x
Essex 5 1.78x
Derbyshire 4 1.79x
Dunbartonshire 4 10.45x
Nottinghamshire 4 2.08x
Renfrewshire 3 2.72x
Somerset 2 0.87x
Ayrshire 1 0.94x
Cumberland 1 0.82x
Hampshire 1 0.34x
Kent 1 0.21x
Staffordshire 1 0.21x
Stirlingshire 1 1.90x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 13 Toles recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.67x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 13 12.67x
Newport Pagnell 13 722.22x
Timperley 8 733.95x
Sheffield 7 15.58x
St Marylebone London 7 9.21x
Warrington 7 34.95x
Balmaghie 6 1333.33x
Bishopwearmouth 5 13.75x
Carluke 5 119.62x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 73.64x
Glasgow 5 6.11x
Hackney London 5 6.26x
Salford 5 10.06x
Walthamstow 5 49.41x
Bonhill 4 65.15x
Manchester 4 5.26x
Nottingham St Mary 4 8.06x
Stoke Damerel 4 19.28x
Stony Stratford East 4 1142.86x
Darlington 3 18.34x
Litchurch 3 33.44x
St Pancras London 3 2.62x
Bedminster 2 9.29x
Paisley High Church 2 22.75x
Airth 1 149.25x
Battersea 1 1.91x
Brayton 1 384.62x
Cambusnethan 1 9.78x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 33.11x
Fairfield 1 67.11x
Greenwich 1 4.41x
Hampstead London 1 4.51x
Islington London 1 0.72x
Lichfield St Chad 1 92.59x
Neilston 1 18.05x
Pettinain 1 555.56x
Shebbear 1 222.22x
Southampton St Mary 1 5.45x
Stevenston 1 35.97x
Wolverton 1 56.18x
Workington 1 14.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 6
Sarah 4
Florence 3
Ada 2
Bridget 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Elizath. 1
Hannah 1
Harriott 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
May 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
William 7
Joseph 5
Henry 4
Benjamin 3
Peter 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
James 2
Michael 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Bernard 1
Bertie 1
Charlie 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Everett 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harry 1
J.J. 1
Jno.R. 1
Marshall 1
Patrick 1
Robt. 1
Rt. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Tole surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tole surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Tole surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tole surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016. That gives Tole a modern rank of #19,976.

What does the Tole surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the Spanish verb "toler" meaning "to seize" or "to take".

What does the Tole map show?

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