NameCensus.

UK surname

Toogood

A surname describing someone with an excellent moral character or disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 1,383 people recorded with the Toogood surname, ranking it #2,983 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,689, ranked #3,703, down from #2,983 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Englishcombe, Tiverton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, Isle of Wight and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toogood is 1,769 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.1%.

1881 census count

1,383

Ranked #2,983

Modern count

1,689

2016, ranked #3,703

Peak year

1999

1,769 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toogood had 1,383 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,983 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,689 in 2016, ranked #3,703.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,742 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Toogood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toogood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Toogood 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 842 #3,228
1861 historical 776 #3,550
1881 historical 1,383 #2,983
1891 historical 1,309 #3,317
1901 historical 1,659 #3,105
1911 historical 1,742 #2,816
1997 modern 1,600 #3,700
1998 modern 1,750 #3,548
1999 modern 1,769 #3,531
2000 modern 1,744 #3,562
2001 modern 1,713 #3,551
2002 modern 1,759 #3,544
2003 modern 1,722 #3,540
2004 modern 1,727 #3,523
2005 modern 1,649 #3,641
2006 modern 1,647 #3,645
2007 modern 1,685 #3,600
2008 modern 1,699 #3,603
2009 modern 1,715 #3,642
2010 modern 1,741 #3,664
2011 modern 1,728 #3,643
2012 modern 1,714 #3,620
2013 modern 1,712 #3,684
2014 modern 1,704 #3,712
2015 modern 1,691 #3,704
2016 modern 1,689 #3,703

Geography

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Where Toogoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Englishcombe, Tiverton, London parishes and Newchurch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, Isle of Wight, North Somerset and Taunton Deane. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Englishcombe, Tiverton Somerset
4 London parishes London 1
5 Newchurch Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 003 North Dorset
2 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
3 Isle of Wight 014 Isle of Wight
4 North Somerset 014 North Somerset
5 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Toogood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Toogood

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Toogood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Toogood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Toogood 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

Toogood is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Toogood falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Toogood

The surname TOOGOOD is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "to" meaning "too" and "god" meaning "good", likely referring to someone who was considered exceptionally virtuous or righteous. It emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

The name was initially concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly Dorset, Somerset, and Devon. Early spellings included Togood, Tugood, and Tewgood, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Dorset from 1327, which mentions a John Togode. The Lay Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1375 also list a Richard Togode.

In the 15th century, the TOOGOOD name can be found in various church records and manorial documents across southern England. For example, the baptismal register of St. Mary's Church in Bridgwater, Somerset, includes the entry of Alice Toogood in 1489.

Notable bearers of the TOOGOOD surname include William Toogood (c. 1550-1622), a prominent merchant and benefactor from Bridgwater, who was involved in the town's governance and contributed to the construction of local almshouses. Another early figure was John Toogood (1670-1739), a wealthy landowner and magistrate from Dorset.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the TOOGOOD family established themselves as landed gentry and clergy in various parts of southern England. Reverend Samuel Toogood (1723-1780) was a notable Anglican clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Honiton, Devon.

In the 19th century, John Toogood (1808-1892) gained recognition as a prominent horticulturist and nurseryman from Southampton, introducing several new varieties of plants and flowers.

Throughout its history, the TOOGOOD surname has been associated with various place names, such as Toogood's Farm in Dorset and Toogood's Lane in Somerset, reflecting the family's longstanding presence in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Toogood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toogood 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. Somerset leads with 296 Toogoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.57x.

County Total Index
Somerset 296 13.57x
Hampshire 201 7.24x
Middlesex 117 0.86x
Wiltshire 96 8.01x
Surrey 85 1.29x
Devon 84 2.98x
Gloucestershire 77 2.90x
Dorset 62 6.97x
Yorkshire 55 0.41x
Sussex 45 1.97x
Derbyshire 37 1.74x
Warwickshire 31 0.91x
Staffordshire 30 0.66x
Durham 26 0.65x
Lincolnshire 25 1.15x
Kent 24 0.52x
Cheshire 14 0.47x
Hertfordshire 12 1.28x
Glamorgan 11 0.47x
Worcestershire 11 0.62x
Essex 10 0.37x
Norfolk 6 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.33x
Lancashire 5 0.03x
Leicestershire 5 0.33x
Stirlingshire 4 0.80x
Huntingdonshire 3 1.12x
Royal Navy 3 1.86x
Herefordshire 2 0.36x
Radnorshire 2 1.83x
Bedfordshire 1 0.14x
Channel Islands 1 0.25x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Shropshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 46 Toogoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.45x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 46 22.45x
Brading 28 75.86x
Walcot 28 24.10x
Bermondsey 23 5.70x
Wedmore 23 162.09x
Gillingham 22 143.98x
St Helens 22 108.96x
Kensington London 20 2.65x
Lambeth 20 1.69x
Huntspill 19 212.77x
St George Hanover 19 10.74x
Carisbrooke 18 46.68x
Plymouth Charles The 17 13.68x
Baltonsborough 16 490.80x
Clifton 16 11.91x
Southampton St Mary 16 9.16x
Twerton 16 71.14x
Mere 15 110.21x
Portsea 15 2.76x
Great Grimsby 14 10.18x
Taunton St Mary 14 34.97x
Warminster 14 53.31x
Brighton 13 2.82x
Tutbury 13 116.59x
Birmingham 12 1.05x
Derby St Peter 12 17.76x
Middlesbrough 12 6.86x
Newport 12 79.68x
St Pancras London 12 1.10x
Ventnor 12 45.44x
Anslow 11 617.98x
Bridgewater 11 18.58x
Croydon 11 3.00x
Lyncombe Widcombe 11 19.26x
Stevenage 11 75.97x
West Knoyle 11 1195.65x
Bethnal Green London 10 1.70x
Bristol St Peter 10 105.26x
Chedzoy 10 606.06x
Eling 10 35.55x
Northwood 10 25.28x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 10 217.86x
Swainswick 10 340.14x
Westoe 10 4.38x
Aldingbourn 9 260.87x
Battersea 9 1.81x
Cottingham 9 31.10x
Feniton 9 545.45x
Hackney London 9 1.18x
Horfield 9 33.66x
Meare 9 137.61x
Over 9 29.61x
Sedghill 9 1011.24x
Shoreditch London 9 1.53x
Weston 9 53.67x
Codford St Mary 8 500.00x
Freshwater 8 63.04x
Holdenhurst 8 10.98x
Netherbury 8 108.84x
Newington 8 1.60x
Shepton Mallet 8 32.69x
Southampton All Sts 8 16.79x
Wolborough 8 22.44x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 2.80x
Collumpton 7 534.35x
Portishead 7 43.18x
Stockton On Tees 7 3.60x
Tiverton 7 14.41x
Westbury On Trym 7 7.78x
Castle Cary 6 63.16x
Compton Bishop 6 234.38x
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 5.88x
Deptford St Paul 6 1.68x
Islington London 6 0.46x
Lonbridge Deverill 6 142.52x
Mangotsfield 6 22.65x
Medstead 6 257.51x
Nether Compton 6 335.20x
Pulborough 6 71.51x
Timsbury 6 90.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 92
John 68
George 52
Henry 45
Charles 43
James 42
Thomas 31
Edward 28
Albert 22
Frederick 19
Robert 19
Frank 16
Joseph 15
Alfred 13
Arthur 12
Walter 11
Richard 10
Herbert 8
Edwin 7
Fred 7
Harry 7
Sidney 5
Francis 4
Isaac 4
Samuel 4
Ernest 3
Jasper 3
Martin 3
Clement 2
Fredrick 2
Giles 2
Jeremiah 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2
Reuben 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Auther 1
Charlie 1
Chas.G. 1
Eli 1
Enos 1
Federick 1
Fred.James 1
Jno. 1
Jonah 1
Jonathan 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Toogood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toogood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,383 people were recorded with the Toogood surname. That placed it at #2,983 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toogood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,689 in 2016. That gives Toogood a modern rank of #3,703.

What does the Toogood surname mean?

A surname describing someone with an excellent moral character or disposition.

What does the Toogood map show?

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