NameCensus.

UK surname

Tolland

A habitational surname referring to someone from the town of Tolland in England.

In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Tolland surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 259, ranked #16,393, up from #22,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lennoxtown, IZ01 and IZ09.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tolland is 267 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 232.1%.

1881 census count

78

Ranked #22,500

Modern count

259

2016, ranked #16,393

Peak year

2014

267 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tolland had 78 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016, ranked #16,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Tolland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tolland surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tolland 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 87 #18,695
1861 historical 57 #26,718
1881 historical 78 #22,500
1891 historical 88 #25,677
1901 historical 93 #23,689
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 261 #15,241
1999 modern 254 #15,638
2000 modern 233 #16,524
2001 modern 217 #17,059
2002 modern 227 #16,877
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 222 #17,020
2005 modern 211 #17,520
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 228 #16,984
2008 modern 233 #16,885
2009 modern 234 #17,194
2010 modern 250 #16,791
2011 modern 253 #16,493
2012 modern 248 #16,618
2013 modern 254 #16,603
2014 modern 267 #16,161
2015 modern 265 #16,139
2016 modern 259 #16,393

Geography

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Where Tollands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lennoxtown, IZ01, IZ09, Drumry East and Blane Valley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lennoxtown East Dunbartonshire
2 IZ01 West Dunbartonshire
3 IZ09 West Dunbartonshire
4 Drumry East Glasgow City
5 Blane Valley Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tolland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tolland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tolland, 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 Tolland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Tolland 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tolland 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

Tolland 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

Tolland falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tolland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tolland

The surname Tolland has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, deriving from one of the various places named Tolland or Tulland found across England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Tulland" in Somersetshire (now Somerset). This suggests that the name likely evolved from an Old English word meaning "at the hill" or "at the ridge."

Throughout the Middle Ages, variations in spelling were common, and the name was recorded in various forms, such as Toland, Tolond, and Toulland. These variations reflect the different dialects and pronunciation patterns across different regions of England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de Tolland, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230. Another notable figure was William Tolland, a merchant from Bristol, who was granted a coat of arms in 1585.

In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of John Tolland (1670-1722), an English philosopher and theologian known for his controversial works challenging traditional Christian beliefs. He was a significant figure in the early Enlightenment movement.

Another individual of note was Samuel Tolland (1711-1784), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was particularly renowned for his role in the capture of the French ship Bien Aimé in 1761.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Henry Tolland (1823-1907), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Natural History Museum.

Throughout history, the surname Tolland has also been associated with various place names, such as Tolland County in Connecticut, USA, and the town of Tolland in Massachusetts, both named after the English surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tolland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tolland 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. Lanarkshire leads with 42 Tollands recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.07x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 42 17.07x
Surrey 11 2.97x
Renfrewshire 9 15.27x
Ayrshire 4 7.03x
Yorkshire 4 0.53x
Roxburghshire 3 21.77x
Midlothian 2 1.96x
Devon 1 0.63x
Dunbartonshire 1 4.89x
Middlesex 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 15 Tollands recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.09x.

Place Total Index
Barony 15 24.09x
Glasgow 14 32.04x
Battersea 9 32.15x
Cadder 7 384.62x
Govan 6 9.86x
Neilston 6 202.70x
Dalry 4 149.25x
Bradford 3 16.44x
Hawick 3 97.40x
Eastwood 2 55.10x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 2 281.69x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 13.06x
Paisley High Church 1 21.32x
Pudsey 1 24.81x
Row 1 37.88x
St Giles In The Wood 1 416.67x
St Mary Bothaw London 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Frances 1
Kate 1
Marie 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
John 2
Michael 2
William 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
Henry 1
Robert 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tolland households.

FAQ

Tolland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tolland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Tolland surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tolland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016. That gives Tolland a modern rank of #16,393.

What does the Tolland surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from the town of Tolland in England.

What does the Tolland map show?

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