NameCensus.

UK surname

Tolhurst

A locative surname originally denoting someone from a place called Tolhurst or Toll'hurst.

In the 1881 census there were 654 people recorded with the Tolhurst surname, ranking it #5,473 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 758, ranked #7,224, down from #5,473 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lamberhurst, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Isle of Anglesey and Chelmsford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tolhurst is 881 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.9%.

1881 census count

654

Ranked #5,473

Modern count

758

2016, ranked #7,224

Peak year

1911

881 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tolhurst had 654 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,473 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 758 in 2016, ranked #7,224.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 881 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tolhurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tolhurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tolhurst 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 514 #4,864
1861 historical 467 #5,562
1881 historical 654 #5,473
1891 historical 723 #5,460
1901 historical 800 #5,648
1911 historical 881 #5,051
1997 modern 819 #6,417
1998 modern 819 #6,638
1999 modern 822 #6,654
2000 modern 827 #6,597
2001 modern 816 #6,543
2002 modern 828 #6,593
2003 modern 795 #6,685
2004 modern 794 #6,712
2005 modern 775 #6,773
2006 modern 757 #6,935
2007 modern 747 #7,075
2008 modern 741 #7,166
2009 modern 761 #7,169
2010 modern 778 #7,179
2011 modern 779 #7,098
2012 modern 778 #7,018
2013 modern 769 #7,199
2014 modern 775 #7,180
2015 modern 751 #7,297
2016 modern 758 #7,224

Geography

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Where Tolhursts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lamberhurst, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Ashford and Marden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Isle of Anglesey, Chelmsford, St Edmundsbury and Lewes. 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 Lamberhurst Sussex
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ashford Kent
5 Marden Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 018 South Oxfordshire
2 Isle of Anglesey 001 Isle of Anglesey
3 Chelmsford 016 Chelmsford
4 St Edmundsbury 008 St Edmundsbury
5 Lewes 012 Lewes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tolhurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tolhurst

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tolhurst is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tolhurst is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tolhurst falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tolhurst

The surname Tolhurst is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "tol," meaning a toll or tax, and "hyrst," meaning a wooded hill or grove. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Tolkyrst," found in records from the county of Essex in 1273.

The name Tolhurst was prominent in the counties of Essex and Kent, where many early records of the name can be found. It is thought to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a wooded hill or grove where tolls were collected, likely on a trade route or road.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Tolhurst can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex, a series of legal documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1327, a William de Tolkyrst is mentioned as holding land in the village of Great Waltham, Essex.

The Tolhurst name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls for Kent in 1334, where a John Tolhurst is listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name had spread from Essex into neighboring Kent by the 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals with the surname Tolhurst emerged. One of the earliest was William Tolhurst (c. 1530-1585), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Faversham, Kent. His descendants included Sir Thomas Tolhurst (1608-1672), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Kent.

Other notable Tolhursts from this period include John Tolhurst (1572-1637), a clergyman and author of religious works, and Richard Tolhurst (1632-1705), a lawyer and Member of Parliament for Canterbury.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Tolhurst family continued to be well-established in Kent. One prominent member was John Tolhurst (1737-1818), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist who founded several schools and charities in the county.

Another notable figure was Henry Tolhurst (1792-1872), a renowned agriculturist and author of several books on farming and horticulture. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society and a respected authority on rural affairs.

The Tolhurst name has also been associated with various places in Kent, such as Tolhurst Farm in Faversham and Tolhurst Manor in Hawkhurst. These place names likely derived from the surname and reflect the family's long history in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tolhurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tolhurst 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. Kent leads with 406 Tolhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.68x.

County Total Index
Kent 406 18.68x
Sussex 87 8.10x
Middlesex 70 1.10x
Surrey 55 1.77x
Denbighshire 8 3.32x
Essex 8 0.64x
Yorkshire 6 0.10x
Warwickshire 4 0.25x
Berkshire 3 0.63x
Hampshire 2 0.15x
Lincolnshire 2 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 1.32x
Somerset 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maidstone in Kent leads with 34 Tolhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.52x.

Place Total Index
Maidstone 34 52.52x
Thornham 24 1702.13x
Leeds 22 1383.65x
Ashford 20 94.47x
Dymchurch 18 1487.60x
Marden 17 333.33x
Northfleet 16 83.55x
Tonbridge 16 20.41x
Lamberhurstsussex 15 1071.43x
Newington 15 6.37x
Staplehurst 15 420.17x
Lamberhurst 13 479.70x
Chatham 11 18.40x
Hammersmith London 10 6.37x
Otham 10 1219.51x
St Marylebone London 10 2.94x
Charing 9 306.12x
Chislehurst 8 68.67x
Denbigh 8 82.82x
Hampstead London 8 8.06x
Hollingbourn 8 318.73x
Bobbing 7 679.61x
Hailsham 7 107.69x
Hastings St Mary In The 7 30.55x
Margate St John Baptist 7 17.59x
Wadhurst 7 99.29x
Willesborough 7 119.86x
Benenden 6 869.57x
Camberwell 6 1.47x
Chislet 6 243.90x
Faversham 6 28.96x
Horsemonden 6 189.27x
Kensington London 6 1.69x
Lambeth 6 1.08x
Rochester St Margaret 6 26.18x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 4.68x
St Giles In Fields 6 27.31x
Strood 6 48.39x
Biddenden 5 168.35x
Brightside Bierlow 5 4.04x
Canterbury St Mary 5 34.29x
Chalk 5 666.67x
Chelsea London 5 2.61x
Dartford 5 22.50x
Godstone 5 89.93x
Hartlip 5 595.24x
Hollington 5 130.89x
Islington London 5 0.81x
Little Ilford 5 230.41x
Rotherhithe 5 6.35x
Sevenoaks 5 28.38x
St Martin In Fields 5 13.11x
St Mary Virgin In Marsh 5 1190.48x
Bearsted 4 305.34x
Beckenham 4 14.08x
Birmingham 4 0.75x
Bromley 4 12.08x
Eastbourne 4 8.09x
Goudhurst 4 66.45x
Hawkhurst 4 59.26x
Ruckinge 4 465.12x
Swanscombe 4 40.98x
Bexley 3 15.62x
Brenchley 3 38.56x
Brookland 3 315.79x
Canterbury Holy Cross 3 142.86x
Croydon 3 1.74x
Deptford St Paul 3 1.79x
East Ham 3 12.86x
Hastings All Sts 3 29.64x
Hastings St Clement 3 29.67x
Minster In Sheppey 3 8.33x
Rye 3 29.38x
Streatham 3 6.35x
Sutton Valence 3 121.46x
Ticehurst 3 45.66x
Old Windsor 2 36.17x
Speldhurst 2 18.07x
St Nicholas At Wade 2 157.48x
Teynham 2 51.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 42
George 27
John 26
Thomas 24
Henry 18
James 17
Frederick 14
Alfred 13
Charles 13
Stephen 11
Robert 8
Albert 6
Edward 6
Samuel 5
Edwin 4
Walter 4
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Fuller 3
Herbert 3
Jesse 3
Percy 3
Wm. 3
Amos 2
Caleb 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
H. 2
Isaac 2
Jack 2
Joseph 2
Richd. 2
Willm. 2
Bernard 1
Dorcas 1
Edmeade 1
Fredk.Jno. 1
Friend 1
Georald 1
Harry 1
Jos.R. 1
Levi 1
Marcel 1
Mary 1
Moses 1
Oliver 1
Oscar 1
Peter 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Tolhurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tolhurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 654 people were recorded with the Tolhurst surname. That placed it at #5,473 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tolhurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 758 in 2016. That gives Tolhurst a modern rank of #7,224.

What does the Tolhurst surname mean?

A locative surname originally denoting someone from a place called Tolhurst or Toll'hurst.

What does the Tolhurst map show?

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