NameCensus.

UK surname

Toll

An occupational surname for a toll collector or gatekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 522 people recorded with the Toll surname, ranking it #6,545 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 283, ranked #15,359, down from #6,545 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wilshampstead, London parishes and Beer Ferris. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, West Devon and Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toll is 522 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 45.8%.

1881 census count

522

Ranked #6,545

Modern count

283

2016, ranked #15,359

Peak year

1881

522 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toll had 522 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,545 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 283 in 2016, ranked #15,359.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 522 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Toll surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toll surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Toll 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 488 #5,116
1861 historical 479 #5,449
1881 historical 522 #6,545
1891 historical 423 #8,465
1901 historical 435 #8,922
1911 historical 451 #8,489
1997 modern 327 #12,784
1998 modern 334 #12,940
1999 modern 336 #12,969
2000 modern 348 #12,614
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 333 #13,062
2003 modern 323 #13,161
2004 modern 323 #13,230
2005 modern 303 #13,757
2006 modern 299 #13,949
2007 modern 305 #13,891
2008 modern 306 #13,943
2009 modern 318 #13,863
2010 modern 320 #14,088
2011 modern 308 #14,356
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 305 #14,577
2014 modern 309 #14,533
2015 modern 284 #15,344
2016 modern 283 #15,359

Geography

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Where Tolls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wilshampstead, London parishes, Beer Ferris, St John Hackney and Colkirk. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, West Devon, Warrington and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Wilshampstead Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Beer Ferris Devon
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Colkirk Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 014 South Norfolk
2 West Devon 007 West Devon
3 Warrington 021 Warrington
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 010 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Toll

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Toll

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Toll, 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 Toll surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Toll 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Toll 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

Toll 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

Toll 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 Toll 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 Toll, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Toll

The surname Toll is of Anglo-Saxon origin, arising in England during the medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Old English word "toll", which referred to a tax or payment made for goods passing through a particular area or territory. This suggests the name may have originally been an occupational surname for a toll collector or someone employed in managing tolls.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Toll can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a certain "Toli" holding lands in Warwickshire. This provides evidence that the name was in use in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show various spellings of the name, such as "Tolle", "Tol", and "Tolle". These variations likely reflect regional dialects and the evolution of the English language over time. During this period, the name also appeared in documents related to places like Tollerton in Nottinghamshire and Tollesbury in Essex, indicating a possible connection between the surname and these locations.

Notable individuals with the surname Toll throughout history include Sir John Toll (c.1500-1568), an English merchant and member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers. Another prominent figure was Sir Jacob Toll (1685-1748), a Dutch-born British merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for various constituencies.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of John Toll (1711-1792), an English playwright and author best known for his works "The Victim" and "The Placid Man". A century later, John Toll (1829-1893), a British artist and engraver, gained acclaim for his intricate woodcut illustrations and engravings.

In more recent times, the name has been carried by individuals such as Sir Richard Toll (1918-2008), a British diplomat and ambassador to various countries, and Peter Toll (1935-2021), an American football player and coach who won two Super Bowl championships as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Toll families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toll 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. Norfolk leads with 84 Tolls recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.63x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 84 10.63x
Middlesex 65 1.26x
Cornwall 55 9.45x
Lanarkshire 40 2.41x
Devon 37 3.46x
Lancashire 36 0.59x
Bedfordshire 34 12.77x
Hertfordshire 21 5.93x
Surrey 20 0.80x
Suffolk 19 3.03x
Durham 18 1.18x
Yorkshire 18 0.35x
Lincolnshire 13 1.58x
Leicestershire 11 1.93x
Ayrshire 10 2.60x
Essex 9 0.89x
Renfrewshire 8 2.01x
Kent 5 0.29x
Channel Islands 4 2.63x
Fife 3 0.99x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.64x
Northumberland 2 0.26x
Royal Navy 2 3.26x
Wiltshire 2 0.44x
Worcestershire 2 0.30x
Angus 1 0.21x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Cumberland 1 0.23x
Derbyshire 1 0.12x
Northamptonshire 1 0.21x
Rutland 1 2.65x
Sussex 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Colkirk in Norfolk leads with 34 Tolls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4473.68x.

Place Total Index
Colkirk 34 4473.68x
Wilshampstead 18 1241.38x
Great Ryburgh 16 1311.48x
Hulme 15 11.78x
Stevenage 14 255.01x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 12 50.57x
Maryhill 12 36.87x
Lesmahagow 11 62.57x
Stutton 11 1157.89x
Tunstall 11 144.55x
Hackney London 10 3.47x
Menheniot 10 413.22x
Thurmaston North 10 1351.35x
Cuddington 9 927.84x
Friern Barnet 9 79.51x
St Pancras London 9 2.18x
Beccles 8 79.37x
Quethiock 8 941.18x
Breage 7 131.83x
Dalry 7 38.67x
St Erth 7 198.30x
Walthamstow 7 19.17x
Whaplode 7 250.00x
Bedford St Paul 6 32.86x
Bedford St Peter 6 86.83x
Bromley London 6 5.31x
Brotton 6 90.23x
Finchley 6 30.44x
Neilston 6 30.00x
Norwich St John Timberhill 6 281.69x
Offerton 6 2500.00x
Oldham 6 3.05x
Pennington In Ulverston 6 198.02x
Bere Ferrers 5 284.09x
Blackawton 5 267.38x
Edmonton 5 12.07x
Hampstead London 5 6.25x
Toxteth Park 5 2.42x
Beerferris 4 191.39x
Bothwell 4 8.87x
Camberwell 4 1.22x
Gaywood 4 281.69x
Old Monkland 4 6.06x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 4.85x
Sheffield 4 2.47x
Tormoham 4 8.83x
Avondale 3 30.86x
Barony 3 0.71x
Bradford 3 2.43x
Broxbourne 3 42.74x
Dunfermline 3 6.41x
Everton 3 1.54x
Helston 3 49.59x
Hornsey 3 4.61x
Luton 3 6.51x
Nether Hallam 3 4.35x
Perranuthnoe 3 188.68x
Redruth 3 18.23x
South Wootton 3 967.74x
Southwark Christchurch 3 12.45x
St Peter Port 3 10.65x
West Rudham 3 361.45x
Wolborough 3 22.17x
Bow London 2 3.06x
Calstock 2 17.53x
Chigwell 2 20.88x
Dawlish 2 25.06x
Enfield 2 5.93x
Glasgow 2 0.68x
Holbeach 2 21.86x
Kensington London 2 0.70x
Kidderminster Borough 2 5.09x
Lyneham 2 112.36x
North Tawton 2 60.79x
Sheviock 2 204.08x
St Stephen In Brannel 2 37.66x
Stoke 2 46.19x
Stoke Newington London 2 5.00x
Teddington London 2 17.17x
Wycombe 2 8.63x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Toll surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toll surname in 1881?

In 1881, 522 people were recorded with the Toll surname. That placed it at #6,545 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toll surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 283 in 2016. That gives Toll a modern rank of #15,359.

What does the Toll surname mean?

An occupational surname for a toll collector or gatekeeper.

What does the Toll map show?

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