NameCensus.

UK surname

Toomer

One who collects or sells wool, or a nickname for a wool merchant or wool comber.

In the 1881 census there were 467 people recorded with the Toomer surname, ranking it #7,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 586, ranked #8,873, down from #7,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Compton Chamberlayne and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Wiltshire and East Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toomer is 669 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.5%.

1881 census count

467

Ranked #7,122

Modern count

586

2016, ranked #8,873

Peak year

1998

669 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toomer had 467 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 586 in 2016, ranked #8,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 619 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Toomer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toomer surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Toomer 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 309 #7,449
1861 historical 298 #8,485
1881 historical 467 #7,122
1891 historical 496 #7,478
1901 historical 570 #7,353
1911 historical 619 #6,681
1997 modern 650 #7,655
1998 modern 669 #7,742
1999 modern 657 #7,883
2000 modern 656 #7,883
2001 modern 630 #7,972
2002 modern 637 #8,090
2003 modern 627 #8,040
2004 modern 611 #8,234
2005 modern 595 #8,323
2006 modern 591 #8,380
2007 modern 588 #8,486
2008 modern 597 #8,452
2009 modern 617 #8,414
2010 modern 628 #8,485
2011 modern 619 #8,482
2012 modern 597 #8,640
2013 modern 612 #8,609
2014 modern 606 #8,743
2015 modern 589 #8,850
2016 modern 586 #8,873

Geography

Back to top

Where Toomers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Compton Chamberlayne, St Mary Islington and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Wiltshire, East Dorset, North Dorset and Forest of Dean. 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 3
2 Compton Chamberlayne Wiltshire
3 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 2
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
2 Wiltshire 046 Wiltshire
3 East Dorset 011 East Dorset
4 North Dorset 002 North Dorset
5 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Toomer

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Toomer

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Toomer is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Toomer 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

Toomer falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Toomer

The surname Toomer is thought to have originated in England, though its exact origins are uncertain. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name that referred to someone who lived near a hill or outcrop of land. The name may have evolved from the Old English word 'tun', meaning an enclosure or settlement, combined with 'mor', meaning a moor or marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Toomer name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Tumor'. This suggests that the name was already established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. Over time, various spellings emerged, including Tumor, Tumer, Toomer, and Tumer.

In the 13th century, records show a William Tomer residing in Oxfordshire, England. Later, in the 15th century, a John Tomer was documented in the Sussex Subsidy Rolls of 1524. These early examples demonstrate the prevalence of the Toomer surname in different regions of England during the Middle Ages.

One notable individual with the Toomer surname was Sir Richard Toomer (1553-1626), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Portsmouth in the early 17th century. Another prominent figure was John Toomer (1658-1718), an English merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the early colonization of South Carolina.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Toomer name is that of Samuel Toomer (1724-1784), a planter and slave owner from South Carolina. His grandson, Robert Toomer (1766-1838), was a prominent jurist and served as a judge in the South Carolina Court of Appeals.

One of the most renowned individuals with the Toomer surname is the American modernist author Jean Toomer (1894-1967), best known for his novel "Cane" and his contributions to the Harlem Renaissance. Another notable figure is Marvin Toomer (1915-2008), an American physicist who made significant contributions to the study of cosmic rays and particle physics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Toomer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toomer 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. Hampshire leads with 117 Toomers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.45x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 117 12.45x
Wiltshire 85 20.96x
Surrey 63 2.82x
Somerset 61 8.27x
Middlesex 53 1.16x
Dorset 21 6.98x
Kent 12 0.77x
Lancashire 12 0.22x
Berkshire 11 3.20x
Durham 8 0.59x
Herefordshire 8 4.26x
Essex 7 0.77x
Gloucestershire 3 0.33x
Sussex 3 0.39x
Warwickshire 3 0.26x
Channel Islands 1 0.74x
Midlothian 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 1.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Durrington in Wiltshire leads with 27 Toomers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4354.84x.

Place Total Index
Durrington 27 4354.84x
Portsea 25 13.57x
Compton Chamberlayne 20 4255.32x
Croydon 17 13.71x
Holdenhurst 17 68.97x
Islington London 12 2.70x
Titchfield 10 141.24x
Bishops Waltham 9 230.18x
Burnham 9 159.86x
Southwark St Saviour 9 38.20x
St George Hanover 9 15.04x
Basingstoke 8 74.01x
Batcombe 8 824.74x
Glastonbury 8 132.89x
Stockton On Tees 8 12.17x
Streatham 8 23.52x
Walford 8 427.81x
Wells St Andrew 8 1212.12x
Hackney London 7 2.72x
Southampton St Mary 7 11.85x
Fisherton Anger 6 80.00x
Fontmell Magna 6 521.74x
Huntspill 6 198.68x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 31.06x
Manchester 6 2.45x
Newington 6 3.54x
Over Wallop 6 705.88x
Swindon 6 19.08x
Tottenham 6 8.22x
West Ham 6 3.00x
Battersea 5 2.96x
Hornsey 5 8.62x
Hougham 5 53.76x
St Giles In Fields 5 31.63x
Ashford 4 26.26x
Bathwick 4 48.96x
Chilbolton 4 740.74x
Nether Wallop 4 322.58x
Newbury 4 36.30x
Spetisbury 4 481.93x
Sutton Mandeville 4 1111.11x
Writhlington 4 625.00x
Aston 3 0.94x
Bloxworth 3 731.71x
Bulford 3 555.56x
Carisbrooke 3 22.99x
Charlton Marshall 3 294.12x
Enford 3 217.39x
Epsom 3 27.55x
Farley Chamberlayne 3 1200.00x
Great Bolton 3 4.16x
Houghton 3 441.18x
Hurst 3 66.67x
Lambeth 3 0.75x
Little Bolton 3 4.29x
Little Langford 3 2307.69x
Romsey Infra 3 94.34x
Tooting Graveney 3 48.23x
Weston Super Mare 3 16.09x
Andover 2 22.52x
Barford St Martin 2 270.27x
Bermondsey 2 1.47x
Bristol St Michael 2 25.94x
Corsham 2 33.78x
Eastbourne 2 5.62x
Homington 2 714.29x
Maperton 2 625.00x
Milford 2 72.99x
Reading St Giles 2 5.92x
Rochester St Margaret 2 12.12x
Shanklin 2 71.43x
Southampton All Sts 2 12.41x
St Pancras London 2 0.54x
Wandsworth 2 4.53x
West Grimstead 2 540.54x
Abbotts Ann 1 94.34x
Clapham 1 1.74x
Millbrook 1 4.22x
Portsmouth 1 4.62x
St Mary Extra 1 13.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 25
Charles 23
George 16
John 15
Henry 13
James 13
Edward 9
Albert 7
Harry 7
Robert 7
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Arthur 3
Francis 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Louis 2
Archibald 1
Archibold 1
Bertram 1
Eli 1
Emanuell 1
Ernest 1
Frdk. 1
Gilbert 1
H. 1
Horace 1
Ivor 1
J.L. 1
Jno. 1
Lewis 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Nevil 1
Percival 1
Phillip 1
R. 1
Reginold 1
Richard 1
S.G.E. 1
S.G.T. 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Toomer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toomer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 467 people were recorded with the Toomer surname. That placed it at #7,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toomer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 586 in 2016. That gives Toomer a modern rank of #8,873.

What does the Toomer surname mean?

One who collects or sells wool, or a nickname for a wool merchant or wool comber.

What does the Toomer map show?

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