NameCensus.

UK surname

Tolley

Derived from a place name meaning "Toli's clearing," referring to a person who lived near such a clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 1,568 people recorded with the Tolley surname, ranking it #2,701 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,526, ranked #1,923, up from #2,701 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes and Kidderminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Wyre Forest and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tolley is 3,720 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 124.9%.

1881 census count

1,568

Ranked #2,701

Modern count

3,526

2016, ranked #1,923

Peak year

1999

3,720 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tolley had 1,568 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,701 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,526 in 2016, ranked #1,923.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,528 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tolley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tolley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tolley 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 954 #2,911
1861 historical 907 #3,052
1881 historical 1,568 #2,701
1891 historical 1,815 #2,532
1901 historical 2,123 #2,534
1911 historical 2,528 #2,018
1997 modern 3,407 #1,899
1998 modern 3,651 #1,844
1999 modern 3,720 #1,825
2000 modern 3,677 #1,834
2001 modern 3,595 #1,837
2002 modern 3,646 #1,859
2003 modern 3,568 #1,847
2004 modern 3,536 #1,869
2005 modern 3,467 #1,881
2006 modern 3,442 #1,894
2007 modern 3,476 #1,894
2008 modern 3,502 #1,895
2009 modern 3,608 #1,890
2010 modern 3,658 #1,908
2011 modern 3,598 #1,915
2012 modern 3,530 #1,908
2013 modern 3,550 #1,938
2014 modern 3,599 #1,913
2015 modern 3,552 #1,921
2016 modern 3,526 #1,923

Geography

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Where Tolleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Kidderminster and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Wyre Forest, Shropshire and Walsall. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Kidderminster Worcestershire
4 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 045 Wakefield
2 Wyre Forest 005 Wyre Forest
3 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
4 Walsall 012 Walsall
5 Wyre Forest 008 Wyre Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tolley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tolley

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

Tolley is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tolley falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tolley

The surname Tolley is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "tol" meaning tax or toll, and "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a tollgate or who worked as a toll collector.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, where a Robert de Tolley is mentioned. Other early spellings include Tolle, Tolly, and Tolley.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several mentions of places with names similar to Tolley, such as Tollesbia in Lincolnshire and Toleslunt in Essex, suggesting that the name may have originated from a specific location.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Tolley was Sir John Tolley (c. 1510-1570), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in the 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Sir Samuel Tolley (1642-1718), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1692-1693.

In the literary world, the name is associated with Henry Valentine Tolley (1785-1856), an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and moral philosophy.

During the American Revolutionary War, Nathaniel Tolley (1755-1830) served as a captain in the Continental Army and fought in several major battles.

In more recent times, Sir William Tolley (1900-1988) was a British civil servant and diplomat who played a significant role in the transition of India to independence in 1947.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Tolley, a name with deep roots in the English language and historical records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tolley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tolley 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. Worcestershire leads with 384 Tolleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.25x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 384 19.25x
Staffordshire 241 4.67x
Devon 191 6.01x
Warwickshire 148 3.84x
Middlesex 105 0.69x
Oxfordshire 96 10.18x
Dorset 43 4.29x
Kent 39 0.75x
Lancashire 35 0.19x
Surrey 35 0.47x
Shropshire 31 2.35x
Somerset 30 1.22x
Gloucestershire 22 0.73x
Yorkshire 22 0.15x
Derbyshire 16 0.67x
Leicestershire 15 0.89x
Hampshire 13 0.42x
Berkshire 12 1.05x
Herefordshire 11 1.76x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.53x
Durham 10 0.22x
Hertfordshire 9 0.85x
Lanarkshire 8 0.16x
Cheshire 7 0.21x
Glamorgan 6 0.23x
Essex 5 0.17x
Northamptonshire 4 0.28x
Brecknockshire 3 0.98x
Lincolnshire 3 0.12x
Perthshire 3 0.44x
Cornwall 2 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.09x
Roxburghshire 1 0.36x
Royal Navy 1 0.55x
Suffolk 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 63 Tolleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.94x.

Place Total Index
Aston 63 5.94x
Birmingham 56 4.36x
Lindridge 30 594.06x
Kingswinford 28 14.96x
Stoke Prior 28 227.64x
Ribbesford 27 162.65x
Headington 26 177.47x
Netherbury 23 277.44x
Walsall Foreign 23 8.63x
Tipton 22 13.93x
Deptford St Paul 21 5.22x
Kidlington 21 287.67x
Kings Norton 20 11.18x
Oldbury 19 19.36x
Kidderminster Foreign 18 63.81x
Redditch 18 44.50x
North Tawton 17 174.00x
South Petherton 16 125.98x
Worcester St Peter 16 42.37x
Oxford St Thomas 15 34.08x
Pattingham 15 694.44x
Dewsbury 13 8.37x
Kingsteignton 13 147.06x
West Teignmouth 13 53.43x
Wolverley 13 74.24x
Camberwell 12 1.23x
Pensax 12 481.93x
Wednesbury 12 9.31x
Wolverhampton 12 3.03x
Nash 11 358.31x
Pinner 11 82.21x
Wolstanton 11 7.02x
Bladon 10 311.53x
Claines 10 18.26x
Corscombe 10 293.26x
Dudley 10 4.12x
Islington London 10 0.68x
Oxford St Ebbe 10 36.01x
Stoke Damerel 10 4.49x
Todmorden Walsden 10 20.59x
Tormoham 10 7.43x
Bromsgrove 9 13.40x
Down St Mary 9 529.41x
Droitwich St Peter 9 200.45x
Egham 9 19.69x
Evesham St Lawrence 9 84.91x
Kings Nympton 9 273.56x
Lewisham 9 3.24x
Mile End New Town 9 43.14x
Morchard Bishop 9 135.54x
Pedmore 9 344.83x
Salwarpe 9 401.79x
Shoreditch London 9 1.36x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 1.65x
Wednesfield 9 11.86x
Alfreton 8 11.01x
Bilston 8 8.01x
Croydon 8 1.94x
Edgbaston 8 6.70x
Glasgow 8 0.91x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 8 14.59x
Halesowen 8 45.69x
Harborne 8 4.84x
Norton In Moors 8 29.30x
Zeal Monachorum 8 326.53x
Bow London 7 3.60x
Crediton 7 23.23x
Heap 7 7.28x
Kenilworth 7 32.23x
Kidderminster Borough 7 6.00x
Lower Mitton 7 39.82x
Mile End Old Town 7 2.90x
Rugeley 7 18.92x
South Molton 7 40.07x
Spitalfields London 7 6.09x
West Bromwich 7 2.37x
West Worlington 7 693.07x
Darlaston 6 8.42x
Sandbach 6 20.86x
Upper Arley 6 156.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 103
Elizabeth 58
Sarah 57
Ann 34
Emma 32
Jane 28
Ellen 27
Annie 26
Eliza 26
Alice 25
Emily 21
Maria 15
Charlotte 14
Florence 14
Hannah 13
Fanny 12
Martha 12
Louisa 11
Clara 10
Harriet 10
Lucy 9
Susan 9
Caroline 8
Edith 7
Frances 7
Minnie 7
Amy 6
Matilda 6
Ada 5
Kate 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Harriett 4
Selina 4
Bessie 3
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Gertrude 3
Hilda 3
Lily 3
Lizzie 3
Phoebe 3
Winifred 3
Anna 2
Isabella 2
John 2
Laura 2
Leah 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 117
John 84
George 67
James 60
Thomas 47
Charles 33
Edward 28
Henry 25
Joseph 24
Samuel 23
Alfred 22
Albert 17
Richard 16
Walter 15
Frederick 13
Harry 9
Robert 7
Arthur 6
David 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Herbert 5
Wm. 5
Edmund 4
Andrew 3
Edgar 3
Fred 3
Henery 3
Josiah 3
Matthew 3
Abnir 2
Alf. 2
Daniel 2
Elijah 2
Geo 2
Geo. 2
Giles 2
Hubert 2
Jessie 2
Moses 2
Nathaniel 2
Philip 2
Richd. 2
Solomon 2
Stephen 2
Archabald 1
Archibald 1

FAQ

Tolley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tolley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,568 people were recorded with the Tolley surname. That placed it at #2,701 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tolley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,526 in 2016. That gives Tolley a modern rank of #1,923.

What does the Tolley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Toli's clearing," referring to a person who lived near such a clearing.

What does the Tolley map show?

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