NameCensus.

UK surname

Toon

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived in or near a town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 1,129 people recorded with the Toon surname, ranking it #3,531 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,828, ranked #3,466, up from #3,531 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, Belgrave and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, Bolsover and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toon is 2,078 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.9%.

1881 census count

1,129

Ranked #3,531

Modern count

1,828

2016, ranked #3,466

Peak year

1999

2,078 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toon had 1,129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,531 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,828 in 2016, ranked #3,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,712 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Toon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Toon 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 761 #3,501
1861 historical 517 #5,061
1881 historical 1,129 #3,531
1891 historical 1,170 #3,655
1901 historical 1,537 #3,351
1911 historical 1,712 #2,861
1997 modern 1,938 #3,126
1998 modern 2,010 #3,146
1999 modern 2,078 #3,087
2000 modern 2,053 #3,105
2001 modern 2,007 #3,107
2002 modern 2,027 #3,139
2003 modern 1,980 #3,140
2004 modern 1,947 #3,188
2005 modern 1,930 #3,177
2006 modern 1,913 #3,217
2007 modern 1,914 #3,234
2008 modern 1,892 #3,287
2009 modern 1,934 #3,304
2010 modern 1,953 #3,337
2011 modern 1,903 #3,372
2012 modern 1,889 #3,341
2013 modern 1,895 #3,391
2014 modern 1,898 #3,398
2015 modern 1,858 #3,433
2016 modern 1,828 #3,466

Geography

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Where Toons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, Belgrave, St Werburgh, Stapenhill and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, Bolsover, North West Leicestershire and East Staffordshire. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 Belgrave Leicestershire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Stapenhill Staffordshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
2 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
3 North West Leicestershire 008 North West Leicestershire
4 East Staffordshire 010 East Staffordshire
5 North West Leicestershire 010 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Toon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Toon

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Toon is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Toon is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Toon

The surname Toon is believed to have originated in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "tun," meaning a village or an enclosure, which later evolved into the Scottish Gaelic word "ton." The name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a small settlement or farmstead.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it appears as "Thone." This document contains the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who were forced to swear allegiance to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records as "Toune" and "Tovne," reflecting the local pronunciation and spelling variations of the time. One notable bearer of the name was John Toun, a Scottish merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who was active in the late 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the spelling of the name stabilized to its modern form, "Toon." Records from this period include mentions of William Toon, a merchant in Aberdeen in the late 16th century, and James Toon, a landowner in Fife in the early 17th century.

The surname Toon has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Toonhill in Aberdeenshire and Toonpitlick in Fife. Some of these place names may have influenced the adoption of the surname by families living in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Toon throughout history include:

1. Sir John Toon (1670-1736), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1718 to 1720.

2. Robert Toon (1798-1867), a Scottish landscape painter known for his depictions of Scottish scenery.

3. Helen Toon (1825-1892), a Scottish author and poet who wrote under the pseudonym "Violet Keith."

4. Robert Toon (1884-1951), a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward for various clubs, including Rangers and Falkirk.

5. David Toon (born 1964), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist, best known for founding the charity "Toon Aid" to support underprivileged children in developing countries.

These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the surname Toon, which has its roots in the linguistic and cultural heritage of Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Toon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toon 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. Leicestershire leads with 373 Toons recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.71x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 373 30.71x
Derbyshire 170 9.91x
Staffordshire 160 4.33x
Warwickshire 75 2.71x
Middlesex 65 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 52 3.52x
Lincolnshire 34 1.94x
Worcestershire 34 2.38x
Surrey 23 0.43x
Lancashire 22 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 19 8.74x
Kent 17 0.45x
Yorkshire 17 0.16x
Northamptonshire 10 0.97x
Durham 8 0.25x
Hampshire 7 0.31x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 3.78x
Oxfordshire 6 0.89x
Cheshire 4 0.17x
Essex 3 0.14x
Inverness-shire 3 0.92x
Rutland 3 3.73x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.30x
Hertfordshire 2 0.26x
Suffolk 2 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.23x
Devon 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.29x
Shropshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burton Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 84 Toons recorded in 1881 and an index of 97.10x.

Place Total Index
Burton Upon Trent 84 97.10x
Stapenhill 37 144.93x
Walsall Foreign 36 18.85x
Syston 34 299.03x
Ashby De La Zouch 31 110.12x
Swannington 28 625.00x
Leicester St Margaret 22 7.43x
Asfordby 20 990.10x
Derby St Werburgh 20 20.20x
Litchurch 19 27.53x
Thurmaston North 19 1210.19x
Kidderminster Borough 18 21.50x
Aston 16 2.10x
Atherstone 15 106.31x
Belgrave 15 54.72x
Leicester St Mary 15 15.29x
Earl Shilton 14 530.30x
Ansley 13 416.67x
Hackney London 13 2.12x
Skegby 13 143.81x
Derby All Sts 12 83.80x
Markfield 12 199.34x
Derby St Alkmund 11 21.40x
Islington London 11 1.04x
Linton 11 243.90x
Nether Seal 11 514.02x
Ratby 11 180.62x
Tottenham 11 6.30x
Enderby 10 158.98x
Kirkby In Ashfield 10 63.33x
Kirkby Mallory Earl 10 171.53x
Melbourne 10 85.32x
Stamford St Michael 10 201.21x
Nottingham St Mary 9 2.36x
Stamford St Mary 9 254.24x
Westminster St John 9 6.75x
Cosby 8 212.77x
Hugglescote 8 44.77x
Ibstock 8 90.60x
Kidderminster Foreign 8 39.55x
Kings Norton 8 6.24x
Thurmaston 8 373.83x
West Bromwich 8 3.78x
Winshill 8 73.19x
Atherton 7 14.80x
Cole Orton 7 312.50x
Leighton 7 560.00x
Milton In Milton 7 44.05x
Queniborough 7 338.16x
Shoreditch London 7 1.47x
Spittlegate 7 28.89x
Austrey 6 441.18x
Birmingham 6 0.65x
Cannock 6 9.30x
Castle Gresley 6 203.39x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.91x
Erith 6 16.30x
Glatton 6 287.08x
Kegworth 6 74.35x
Measham 6 95.24x
Southwell 6 55.81x
Stamford Baron St Martin 6 108.70x
Urr 6 29.08x
Breedon On The Hill 5 136.61x
Chertsey 5 14.50x
Eccleshall 5 35.66x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 3.54x
Horninglow 5 28.70x
Leeds 5 0.82x
Leicester St Martin 5 61.27x
Packington 5 115.47x
Repton 5 77.16x
Shustoke 5 203.25x
Southwark St John 5 14.93x
Sutton In Ashfield 5 15.61x
Darlaston 4 7.83x
Misterton 4 218.58x
Nailstone 4 144.93x
Ravenstone 4 236.69x
Stanton Newhall 4 72.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 88
John 68
Thomas 60
George 42
Joseph 32
James 28
Charles 22
Arthur 20
Henry 19
Edward 16
Herbert 10
Frederick 9
Samuel 9
Harry 7
Walter 7
Benjamin 6
Job 6
Timothy 6
Alfred 5
Daniel 5
Albert 4
Edwin 4
Fredrick 4
Richard 3
Robert 3
Tom 3
Abraham 2
Aldwin 2
Amos 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Levi 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Nicholas 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Alpheus 1
Bertie 1
Carnesh 1
Cecil 1
Ephraim 1
Ezra 1
Jno. 1
Joel 1
Wm.Astill 1

FAQ

Toon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,129 people were recorded with the Toon surname. That placed it at #3,531 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,828 in 2016. That gives Toon a modern rank of #3,466.

What does the Toon surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived in or near a town or village.

What does the Toon map show?

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