NameCensus.

UK surname

Tongue

A surname historically given to a person considered talkative or eloquent.

In the 1881 census there were 1,008 people recorded with the Tongue surname, ranking it #3,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,135, ranked #5,189, down from #3,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redditch, North East Derbyshire and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tongue is 1,200 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.6%.

1881 census count

1,008

Ranked #3,885

Modern count

1,135

2016, ranked #5,189

Peak year

1911

1,200 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tongue had 1,008 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,135 in 2016, ranked #5,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,200 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Tongue surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tongue surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tongue 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 605 #4,247
1861 historical 638 #4,199
1881 historical 1,008 #3,885
1891 historical 1,089 #3,882
1901 historical 1,073 #4,503
1911 historical 1,200 #3,917
1997 modern 1,141 #4,918
1998 modern 1,171 #4,980
1999 modern 1,191 #4,965
2000 modern 1,145 #5,088
2001 modern 1,118 #5,102
2002 modern 1,175 #4,985
2003 modern 1,148 #5,001
2004 modern 1,129 #5,076
2005 modern 1,100 #5,127
2006 modern 1,103 #5,132
2007 modern 1,101 #5,183
2008 modern 1,101 #5,210
2009 modern 1,129 #5,204
2010 modern 1,148 #5,251
2011 modern 1,124 #5,276
2012 modern 1,124 #5,193
2013 modern 1,143 #5,203
2014 modern 1,152 #5,191
2015 modern 1,147 #5,167
2016 modern 1,135 #5,189

Geography

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Where Tongues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Tardebigg. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redditch, North East Derbyshire, Nottingham, Rotherham and Cannock Chase. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Tardebigg Worcestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redditch 003 Redditch
2 North East Derbyshire 001 North East Derbyshire
3 Nottingham 038 Nottingham
4 Rotherham 029 Rotherham
5 Cannock Chase 009 Cannock Chase

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tongue

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tongue

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Tongue surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Tongue household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tongue 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

Tongue 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

Tongue falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tongue

The surname Tongue is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "tunge," which means "tongue" and was likely initially used as a nickname for someone who was particularly talkative or had a speech impediment.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tongue can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a certain Hugo Tongue is mentioned. This document provides evidence that the name was already in use by the end of the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a William Tongue is listed. This record suggests that the name had spread to different regions of England by this time.

The Tongue surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1273, which includes a reference to a Richard Tongue. This document is a valuable source for studying the distribution of surnames in medieval England.

One notable individual with the surname Tongue was John Tongue (c. 1610-1680), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Llandrinio in Montgomeryshire, Wales. He wrote several religious works, including "A Plaine and Brief Remonstrance" and "Animadversions on Mr. Prynne's Late Revilings."

Another prominent figure with this surname was Robert Tongue (1679-1732), an English mathematician and astronomer. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1713 and contributed to the development of mathematical instruments and astronomical calculations.

In the 18th century, there was a Samuel Tongue (1723-1796), an English merchant and banker who was involved in the East India Company. He served as the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England from 1781 to 1782.

The Tongue family also had a presence in Scotland, with one notable member being Sir James Tongue (1818-1881), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist. He was involved in the textile industry and supported various charitable causes, including the establishment of the Tongue School in Glasgow.

It's worth mentioning that the name Tongue has also been associated with places in England, such as Tongue End in Hertfordshire and Tongue Green in Buckinghamshire, which may have influenced the distribution and usage of the surname in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tongue families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tongue 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 208 Tongues recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.79x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 208 1.79x
Warwickshire 173 7.02x
Middlesex 101 1.03x
Staffordshire 86 2.61x
Nottinghamshire 81 6.15x
Worcestershire 57 4.47x
Lincolnshire 48 3.07x
Cheshire 29 1.34x
Yorkshire 23 0.24x
Derbyshire 20 1.31x
Herefordshire 20 4.99x
Surrey 20 0.42x
Shropshire 16 1.89x
Essex 15 0.78x
Kent 12 0.36x
Gloucestershire 11 0.57x
Monmouthshire 11 1.56x
Somerset 11 0.70x
Wigtownshire 10 7.70x
Northamptonshire 9 0.98x
Hampshire 8 0.40x
Durham 7 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.97x
Sussex 6 0.36x
Leicestershire 4 0.37x
Bedfordshire 2 0.40x
Berkshire 2 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.17x
Devon 1 0.05x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.71x
Norfolk 1 0.07x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 125 Tongues recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.22x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 125 15.22x
Aston 35 5.16x
Nottingham St Mary 26 7.63x
Ashton Under Lyne 20 7.89x
Clerkenwell London 20 8.67x
Wombourn 19 310.46x
Tardebigg 17 871.79x
Pendleton In Salford 16 11.58x
Redditch 16 61.82x
Toxteth Park 16 4.07x
Failsworth 15 56.52x
Islington London 15 1.58x
Oldham 15 4.01x
Farnsfield 14 401.15x
Lambeth 14 1.64x
Salford 12 3.52x
Stockport 12 10.81x
Swinethorpe 12 8571.43x
Sutton Bonnington 11 326.41x
West Bromwich 11 5.82x
Aberystruth 10 16.05x
Barrow On Humber 10 110.25x
Chard 10 52.47x
Liverpool 10 1.42x
Penninghame 10 75.53x
Plumstead 10 9.00x
Tottenham 10 6.42x
Rugby 9 26.99x
Bradford 8 14.74x
Clifton 8 8.26x
Dukinfield 8 8.02x
Fulham London 8 5.64x
Holy Trinity 8 3.43x
Kingsland 8 225.35x
Ogley Hay 8 116.79x
Rothwell 8 86.67x
Cheadle 7 44.16x
Cheetham 7 8.09x
Dogdyke 7 1000.00x
Openshaw 7 12.89x
Stockton On Tees 7 4.99x
Wolverhampton 7 2.76x
Aldridge 6 94.64x
Ardwick 6 5.74x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 6.87x
Castleton 6 5.18x
Cleobury Mortimer 6 112.78x
Crich 6 60.06x
Dilhorne 6 109.29x
Hindley 6 12.13x
Hope Baggot 6 2307.69x
Kings Norton 6 5.24x
Pleasley 6 155.44x
Ruddington 6 67.95x
Saddleworth 6 8.03x
Southwell 6 62.57x
St Marylebone London 6 1.15x
Walthamstow 6 8.64x
Bermondsey 5 1.72x
Burrington 5 746.27x
Bury 5 3.77x
Chelsea London 5 1.70x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 2.71x
Croydon Cum Clapton 5 312.50x
Darfield 5 56.69x
Darlaston 5 10.96x
Little Bolton 5 3.35x
Mile End Old Town 5 3.24x
Pownall Fee 5 51.81x
Preston 5 1.61x
St Andrew Holborn 5 15.09x
Timberland 5 297.62x
Atherton 4 9.47x
Leominster Out 4 106.10x
Richards Castle 4 156.25x
Snenton 4 7.73x
Spitalfields London 4 5.44x
St Pancras London 4 0.51x
Wigan 4 2.47x
Yardley 4 12.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 61
Sarah 42
Elizabeth 30
Ann 26
Annie 22
Alice 20
Eliza 20
Emily 16
Jane 13
Hannah 12
Ellen 11
Margaret 11
Emma 10
Harriet 10
Maria 10
Martha 10
Ada 9
Clara 7
Edith 6
Fanny 6
Florence 6
Caroline 5
Frances 5
Louisa 5
Susan 5
Amy 4
Anne 4
Betty 4
Charlotte 4
Ethel 4
Harriett 4
Lucy 4
Rachel 4
Rose 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
May 3
Amelia 2
Daisy 2
Gertrude 2
Janet 2
Julia 2
Lizzie 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
Millicent 2
Minnie 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 60
John 59
Thomas 38
George 30
James 28
Henry 24
Joseph 22
Edward 19
Alfred 18
Samuel 18
Arthur 16
Charles 14
Frederick 10
Albert 9
Richard 7
Walter 7
Harry 6
Edwin 5
Robert 5
Ernest 4
Percy 3
David 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Lewis 2
Samual 2
Thos. 2
Alfd. 1
Allen 1
Alphonso 1
Austin 1
Barnabas 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Edwd. 1
Eugene 1
Evelyn 1
Felix 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jeane 1
Josiah 1
Lawrence 1

FAQ

Tongue surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tongue surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,008 people were recorded with the Tongue surname. That placed it at #3,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tongue surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,135 in 2016. That gives Tongue a modern rank of #5,189.

What does the Tongue surname mean?

A surname historically given to a person considered talkative or eloquent.

What does the Tongue map show?

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