NameCensus.

UK surname

Toombs

An English occupational surname referring to a tomb maker or a person who lived near tombs.

In the 1881 census there were 289 people recorded with the Toombs surname, ranking it #9,968 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 432, ranked #11,135, down from #9,968 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fryern Barnet, Ely Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, South Cambridgeshire and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toombs is 543 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.5%.

1881 census count

289

Ranked #9,968

Modern count

432

2016, ranked #11,135

Peak year

1998

543 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toombs had 289 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,968 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016, ranked #11,135.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 528 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Toombs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toombs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Toombs 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 207 #11,687
1881 historical 289 #9,968
1891 historical 401 #8,860
1901 historical 482 #8,275
1911 historical 528 #7,519
1997 modern 506 #9,218
1998 modern 543 #9,010
1999 modern 528 #9,260
2000 modern 515 #9,408
2001 modern 507 #9,364
2002 modern 490 #9,771
2003 modern 485 #9,701
2004 modern 488 #9,675
2005 modern 486 #9,634
2006 modern 476 #9,836
2007 modern 465 #10,096
2008 modern 467 #10,146
2009 modern 481 #10,148
2010 modern 462 #10,682
2011 modern 456 #10,676
2012 modern 435 #10,959
2013 modern 431 #11,231
2014 modern 425 #11,432
2015 modern 432 #11,183
2016 modern 432 #11,135

Geography

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Where Toombs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fryern Barnet, Ely Trinity, London parishes, Lambeth and Potterspury, Cosgrove. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, South Cambridgeshire, Plymouth and Medway. 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 Fryern Barnet Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Ely Trinity Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Potterspury, Cosgrove Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
2 South Cambridgeshire 011 South Cambridgeshire
3 Plymouth 021 Plymouth
4 Medway 036 Medway
5 Forest of Dean 006 Forest of Dean

Forenames

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First names often paired with Toombs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Toombs

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Toombs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Toombs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Toombs 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

Toombs is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Toombs falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Toombs

The surname Toombs is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "tun" meaning an enclosure or a village. It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in areas like Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Toombs can be found in medieval documents and records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where it appears as "de Toumbes" or "de Toumes." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or owned a specific village or settlement.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the Toombs surname, such as "Tomes" and "Tumes." However, these entries are subject to interpretation and may not directly correspond to the modern spelling of the name.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Toombs was Sir Richard de Tomes, a knight who lived in the 13th century and was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273. Another notable individual was John Toombs, who was born in 1603 in Lincolnshire and later became a prominent merchant and landowner in colonial Virginia in the mid-17th century.

Other historical figures with the surname Toombs include Robert Toombs (1810-1885), an American politician and prominent figure in the Confederacy during the American Civil War. He served as the first Secretary of State for the Confederate States of America. Additionally, there was Sir Walter Toombs (1870-1941), a British businessman and philanthropist who was knighted for his charitable works.

In the realm of literature, the name Toombs is associated with Robert Toombs Hoke (1905-1969), an American author and journalist who wrote several novels and short stories set in the American South. Lastly, James Toombs (1909-1989) was a British sculptor and artist known for his monumental public artworks and sculptures.

The Toombs surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Tombs, Tomes, Toomes, and Tooms, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and interpretations of the name's origins. Despite these variations, the core meaning and significance of the surname as an indicator of place or geographic origin has remained consistent throughout its history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Toombs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toombs 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. Middlesex leads with 61 Toombs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 61 2.15x
Northamptonshire 47 17.61x
Surrey 39 2.82x
Cambridgeshire 25 13.91x
Wiltshire 20 7.97x
Warwickshire 12 1.68x
Herefordshire 9 7.73x
Yorkshire 9 0.32x
Kent 8 0.83x
Norfolk 8 1.83x
Buckinghamshire 7 4.08x
Cheshire 7 1.12x
Somerset 7 1.53x
Staffordshire 6 0.63x
Gloucestershire 5 0.90x
Hampshire 4 0.69x
Hertfordshire 4 2.04x
Berkshire 2 0.94x
Durham 2 0.24x
Lancashire 2 0.06x
Worcestershire 2 0.54x
Derbyshire 1 0.23x
Lincolnshire 1 0.22x
Midlothian 1 0.26x
Royal Navy 1 2.96x
Sussex 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stratton St Margaret in Wiltshire leads with 20 Toombs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 519.48x.

Place Total Index
Stratton St Margaret 20 519.48x
Potterspury 17 1588.79x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 13 165.82x
Islington London 12 4.36x
Bethnal Green London 11 8.92x
Lambeth 11 4.44x
Camberwell 9 4.96x
Newington 8 7.63x
Northampton All Sts 8 88.30x
Hunslet 7 15.96x
Monks Coppenhall 7 29.61x
Hackney London 6 3.77x
Nailsea 6 331.49x
Birmingham 5 2.10x
Bitton 5 103.09x
Bromley London 5 8.01x
Cosgrove 5 806.45x
How Caple 5 4545.45x
Leamington Priors 5 28.39x
Peterborough 5 25.87x
Ramsgate 5 31.63x
Shoreditch London 5 4.06x
St Andrewthe Less 5 24.34x
Thetford St Cuthbert 5 316.46x
Chesterton 4 72.20x
Egham 4 47.11x
New Brentford 4 268.46x
Northampton St Giles 4 39.33x
Welwyn 4 236.69x
West Bromwich 4 7.29x
Whitechapel London 4 14.30x
Bradwell 3 123.97x
Brampton Abbotts 3 1428.57x
Chelsea London 3 3.51x
Friern Barnet 3 48.00x
Northampton St Sepulchre 3 22.09x
Passenham 3 272.73x
Portsea 3 2.63x
Brandon 2 85.11x
Dover St Mary Virgin 2 21.34x
Guildford St Mary 2 117.65x
Hatton 2 210.53x
St George In East 2 10.36x
St Giles Cambridge 2 86.21x
Stranton 2 7.03x
Walsall Foreign 2 4.04x
Wolverton 2 56.34x
Yardley Gobion 2 350.88x
Abingdon St Helen 1 16.05x
Armley 1 8.06x
Bruton 1 55.56x
Caterham 1 16.37x
Clewer 1 11.45x
Epsom 1 14.84x
Frimley 1 25.38x
Grantham 1 16.89x
Hambleden 1 68.03x
Hampstead London 1 2.26x
Hastings St Clement 1 22.22x
Holy Trinity 1 1.48x
Hornsey 1 2.79x
Kirkdale 1 1.76x
Litchurch 1 5.59x
Liverpool 1 0.49x
Norwich St Stephen 1 24.94x
Poplar London 1 1.87x
Portsmouth 1 7.46x
Royal Navy 1 3.46x
Send Ripley 1 55.56x
South Leith 1 2.34x
St George Hanover 1 2.70x
St Marythe Less 1 91.74x
St Pancras London 1 0.44x
Stoke 1 15.31x
Stony Stratford West 1 84.75x
Stourbridge 1 10.48x
Tottenham 1 2.21x
Upton Bishop 1 147.06x
Woolwich 1 2.79x
Worcester St Peter 1 14.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 14
Emma 7
Annie 5
Fanny 5
Ada 4
Emily 4
Jane 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Minnie 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Mariana 2
Matilda 2
Ann. 1
Beatrice 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Etty 1
Harriet 1
Hester 1
Jeanetta 1
Jemima 1
Lavinia 1
Lottie 1
Maria 1
Mercy 1
Mirian 1
Nellie 1
Phoebe 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Sabina 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Susanh 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
Thomas 18
George 11
Samuel 10
John 9
Henry 7
Arthur 6
James 6
Richard 6
Charles 5
Alfred 4
Walter 4
Benjamin 3
Wm. 3
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Ainsworth 1
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Benj. 1
Bertie 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Geor. 1
Herbert 1
Levi 1
Octavius 1
Philip 1
Raymond 1

FAQ

Toombs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toombs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 289 people were recorded with the Toombs surname. That placed it at #9,968 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toombs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016. That gives Toombs a modern rank of #11,135.

What does the Toombs surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a tomb maker or a person who lived near tombs.

What does the Toombs map show?

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