NameCensus.

UK surname

Tonge

A surname originating from the Old English word "tunge" meaning tongue or promontory.

In the 1881 census there were 1,919 people recorded with the Tonge surname, ranking it #2,271 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,298, ranked #2,824, down from #2,271 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, North Kesteven and Bury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tonge is 2,643 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.7%.

1881 census count

1,919

Ranked #2,271

Modern count

2,298

2016, ranked #2,824

Peak year

1911

2,643 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tonge had 1,919 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,271 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,298 in 2016, ranked #2,824.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,643 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Tonge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tonge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tonge 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 1,068 #2,624
1861 historical 910 #3,043
1881 historical 1,919 #2,271
1891 historical 1,879 #2,451
1901 historical 2,594 #2,118
1911 historical 2,643 #1,947
1997 modern 2,441 #2,577
1998 modern 2,545 #2,567
1999 modern 2,554 #2,574
2000 modern 2,508 #2,610
2001 modern 2,514 #2,549
2002 modern 2,509 #2,606
2003 modern 2,451 #2,610
2004 modern 2,416 #2,641
2005 modern 2,373 #2,653
2006 modern 2,379 #2,650
2007 modern 2,396 #2,661
2008 modern 2,401 #2,667
2009 modern 2,419 #2,715
2010 modern 2,421 #2,761
2011 modern 2,433 #2,730
2012 modern 2,337 #2,774
2013 modern 2,375 #2,776
2014 modern 2,393 #2,773
2015 modern 2,325 #2,814
2016 modern 2,298 #2,824

Geography

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Where Tonges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Eccles, Manchester, Dean and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, North Kesteven and Bury. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dean Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 032 Bolton
2 North Kesteven 007 North Kesteven
3 Bolton 029 Bolton
4 Bolton 006 Bolton
5 Bury 016 Bury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tonge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tonge

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tonge is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tonge 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

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

Meaning and origin of Tonge

The surname TONGE originated in England and has its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "tunge," which means "tongue" or "strip of land projecting into water." This surname was likely given to someone who lived near a tongue-shaped piece of land or a peninsula.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname TONGE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a place name in Lancashire, England. The name was also documented in various charter rolls and tax records from the 12th and 13th centuries, with spellings such as "Tunge," "Tonge," and "Tonga."

During the 13th century, there was a notable figure named William de Tonge, who was a landowner in the area of Tonge, Lancashire. He is mentioned in several medieval records from that time period.

In the 14th century, a prominent individual named John Tonge was recorded as a merchant and freeman of the City of London. He played a significant role in the city's trade and governance during that era.

Another notable person with the surname TONGE was Israel Tonge, who lived from 1621 to 1680. He was an English clergyman and controversial figure known for his involvement in the Popish Plot, a fabricated Catholic conspiracy that caused widespread panic in England.

The surname TONGE is also associated with Sir John Tonge, a British naval officer who served during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He participated in several significant naval battles and expeditions.

In the 19th century, Ezriah Tonge, born in 1805, was a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings, including churches and public structures, in various parts of England.

While the surname TONGE has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and settlement patterns. However, the historical roots and early records of this surname can be traced back to the medieval period in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tonge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tonge 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 1,332 Tonges recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.03x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,332 6.03x
Cheshire 137 3.34x
Yorkshire 109 0.59x
Middlesex 65 0.35x
Lincolnshire 64 2.15x
Sussex 27 0.86x
Hampshire 25 0.66x
Kent 19 0.30x
Derbyshire 17 0.58x
Surrey 16 0.18x
Berkshire 12 0.86x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.48x
Gloucestershire 8 0.22x
Suffolk 8 0.35x
Warwickshire 7 0.15x
Worcestershire 7 0.29x
Shropshire 6 0.37x
Westmorland 6 1.47x
Royal Navy 5 2.26x
Lanarkshire 4 0.07x
Cumberland 3 0.19x
Durham 3 0.05x
Herefordshire 3 0.39x
Staffordshire 3 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.18x
Essex 2 0.05x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Ross-shire 1 0.20x
Wiltshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnworth in Lancashire leads with 218 Tonges recorded in 1881 and an index of 164.83x.

Place Total Index
Farnworth 218 164.83x
Little Bolton 76 26.78x
Pendleton In Salford 73 27.76x
Salford 63 9.70x
Barton Upon Irwell 59 35.51x
Kearsley 52 111.95x
Manchester 51 5.14x
Worsley 45 33.07x
Chorlton On Medlock 37 10.55x
Dukinfield 37 19.50x
Great Bolton 33 11.29x
Bury 26 10.31x
Droylsden 24 33.33x
Rixton With Glazebrook 24 427.05x
Radcliffe 23 21.62x
Hulme 22 4.77x
Great Lever 21 89.67x
Boston 19 21.06x
Castleton 19 8.62x
Heap 19 16.23x
Middleton In Oldham 19 28.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 18 3.73x
Epworth 17 122.57x
Little Hulton 17 46.51x
Bradford 16 15.49x
Chadderton 16 14.83x
Pilkington 15 17.89x
Gorton 14 6.75x
Little Lever 14 49.59x
Stockport 14 6.63x
Ardwick 13 6.53x
Altrincham 12 16.72x
Astley 12 70.46x
North Meols 12 5.55x
Horwich 11 45.68x
Oxton 11 47.37x
Prestwich 11 19.97x
Stretford 11 9.06x
Westhoughton 11 18.67x
Andover 10 27.76x
Islington London 10 0.55x
Pendlebury 10 21.45x
Preston 10 18.26x
Reading St Giles 10 7.30x
Tonge 10 21.59x
Toxteth Park 10 1.34x
York Holy Trinity 10 62.77x
Holy Trinity 9 2.03x
Timperley 9 63.03x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 9 14.16x
Wigan 9 2.92x
Beswick 8 14.17x
Brightside Bierlow 8 2.21x
Croydon 8 1.59x
Middle Hulton 8 61.21x
Mildenhall 8 33.22x
Newington 8 15.76x
Newton 8 4.70x
Sale 8 15.88x
Southcoates 8 7.82x
St Pancras London 8 0.53x
Sutton 8 10.81x
Wardleworth 8 6.34x
Clerkenwell London 7 1.59x
Eastbourne 7 4.85x
Everton 7 1.00x
Great Driffield 7 18.50x
Great Sankey 7 171.99x
Halliwell 7 8.71x
Liverpool 7 0.52x
Longparish 7 162.79x
Marske In Guisbrough 7 21.38x
Ashton On Mersey 6 28.26x
Birkenhead 6 1.83x
Bollin Fee 6 32.95x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 4.93x
Clifton 6 36.23x
Openshaw 6 5.80x
Over Hulton 6 95.69x
Oxspring 6 267.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 160
Sarah 76
Elizabeth 73
Alice 60
Ann 50
Annie 30
Eliza 30
Ellen 29
Jane 27
Hannah 26
Margaret 26
Martha 26
Emma 23
Emily 12
Charlotte 10
Edith 9
Rachel 9
Frances 8
Harriet 8
Jessie 8
Louisa 8
Nancy 8
Lucy 7
Anne 6
Betsy 6
Ethel 6
Fanny 6
Lizzie 6
Agnes 5
Amy 5
Bertha 5
Betty 5
Isabella 5
Margret 5
Maria 5
Rebecca 5
Ada 4
Amelia 4
Catherine 4
Clara 4
Eleanor 4
Florence 4
Janet 4
Julia 4
Sophia 4
Elizth. 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Maude 3
Minnie 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 126
James 92
William 92
Thomas 73
Joseph 60
George 50
Robert 39
Charles 30
Samuel 29
Richard 23
Henry 22
Arthur 16
Peter 16
Alfred 12
Edward 12
Harry 12
Walter 10
Albert 9
Frederick 9
Frank 7
Jas. 7
Thos. 7
Herbert 6
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Ralph 5
David 4
Enoch 4
Fred 4
Isaac 4
Joshua 4
Saml. 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Alexander 3
Alexr. 3
Cecil 3
Fredk. 3
Mark 3
Sydney 3
Adam 2
Ashton 2
Daniel 2
Fredrick 2
Job 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Percival 2
Reginald 2
Richd. 2

FAQ

Tonge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tonge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,919 people were recorded with the Tonge surname. That placed it at #2,271 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tonge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,298 in 2016. That gives Tonge a modern rank of #2,824.

What does the Tonge surname mean?

A surname originating from the Old English word "tunge" meaning tongue or promontory.

What does the Tonge map show?

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