NameCensus.

UK surname

Tooth

A surname denoting someone with protruding teeth or employed as a dentist.

In the 1881 census there were 870 people recorded with the Tooth surname, ranking it #4,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,128, ranked #5,224, down from #4,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Cannock and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Derby and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tooth is 1,251 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.7%.

1881 census count

870

Ranked #4,357

Modern count

1,128

2016, ranked #5,224

Peak year

1998

1,251 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tooth had 870 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,128 in 2016, ranked #5,224.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,198 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tooth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tooth surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tooth 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 589 #4,340
1861 historical 552 #4,768
1881 historical 870 #4,357
1891 historical 915 #4,514
1901 historical 1,072 #4,505
1911 historical 1,198 #3,924
1997 modern 1,077 #5,170
1998 modern 1,251 #4,715
1999 modern 1,215 #4,875
2000 modern 1,213 #4,852
2001 modern 1,175 #4,902
2002 modern 1,173 #4,999
2003 modern 1,178 #4,879
2004 modern 1,180 #4,880
2005 modern 1,144 #4,964
2006 modern 1,132 #5,006
2007 modern 1,121 #5,101
2008 modern 1,150 #5,022
2009 modern 1,165 #5,068
2010 modern 1,176 #5,129
2011 modern 1,180 #5,059
2012 modern 1,123 #5,199
2013 modern 1,170 #5,102
2014 modern 1,149 #5,204
2015 modern 1,125 #5,252
2016 modern 1,128 #5,224

Geography

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Where Tooths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Cannock, London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Derby, Sevenoaks, Shropshire 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 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
2 Cannock Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 2
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 006 Coventry
2 Derby 026 Derby
3 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
4 Shropshire 032 Shropshire
5 Cannock Chase 002 Cannock Chase

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tooth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tooth

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tooth 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

Tooth 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

Tooth falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tooth

The surname Tooth originates from England and can be traced back to the early Middle Ages. The name likely derives from the Old English word tūth, meaning "tooth," which itself came from the Proto-Germanic *tanþs. This might indicate a nickname for someone who had a prominent or distinctive tooth or was associated with dentistry or tooth-related care.

Old records show the presence of the name in medieval England. One of the earliest documented references to the surname is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where variations like Toht and Tuth appear. These records suggest that the name was not widespread, but rather localized in certain areas, predominantly in southern England, including counties such as Kent and Sussex.

One historical figure bearing the surname is John Tooth, recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. His appearance in such tax records indicates he was a person of some standing within his community. Another notable individual is William Tooth, who appears in the court records of Norfolk in 1379. These legal documents provide insights into the lives and duties of people during medieval times.

The parish registers of the 16th century show the surname becoming slightly more common. Thomas Tooth, baptized in St. Mary's Church, Dover, in 1550, is an example of the name being used across generations. The consistency in the surname's use during this period implies it had become established within certain family lines.

In the 17th century, the surname Tooth appears in immigration records of early settlers to the New World. Edward Tooth, born in 1605, is one such example, who traveled to America and settled in Virginia around 1635. His life and movement reflect the historical period of English colonization.

The 18th century brings us to Captain John Tooth, a significant figure noted for his service in the Royal Navy and his involvement in the maritime operations during the early 1700s. He was known for his bravery and naval strategies.

These historical references highlight the surname's longevity and the various roles individuals with this surname have played over centuries, from landowners and taxpayers to settlers and naval officers. The surname Tooth thus provides a fascinating view into the past and the evolution of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tooth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tooth 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. Staffordshire leads with 348 Tooths recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.12x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 348 12.12x
Warwickshire 98 4.57x
Middlesex 91 1.07x
Surrey 53 1.28x
Sussex 47 3.28x
Buckinghamshire 42 8.17x
Lancashire 27 0.27x
Shropshire 24 3.27x
Derbyshire 23 1.73x
Kent 21 0.72x
Northamptonshire 11 1.37x
Leicestershire 10 1.06x
Bedfordshire 9 2.04x
Cheshire 9 0.48x
Gloucestershire 9 0.54x
Yorkshire 9 0.11x
Oxfordshire 6 1.14x
Wiltshire 6 0.80x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.44x
Worcestershire 5 0.45x
Herefordshire 4 1.15x
Berkshire 3 0.47x
Hampshire 3 0.17x
Angus 2 0.25x
Glamorgan 2 0.14x
Hertfordshire 2 0.34x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.13x
Devon 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.99x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 76 Tooths recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.96x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 76 24.96x
Stafford St Mary 36 88.58x
Aston 31 5.25x
Birmingham 26 3.64x
Cannock 26 51.90x
Rugeley 23 111.65x
St Pancras London 20 2.92x
Sheriff Hales 17 578.23x
Limpsfield 15 378.79x
St Marylebone London 15 3.30x
Sutton Coldfield 15 66.52x
Audley 13 45.76x
Great Brickhill 12 740.74x
Hove 12 19.07x
Penkridge 12 162.16x
Little Bowden 11 392.86x
Tonbridge 11 10.51x
Wolverhampton 11 4.98x
Brighton 10 3.46x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 15.61x
Derby St Alkmund 10 25.06x
Burton Upon Trent 9 13.40x
Gloucester St John Baptist 9 83.57x
Handsworth 9 12.72x
Newington 9 2.86x
West Bromwich 9 5.48x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 10.53x
Camberwell 8 1.47x
Islington London 8 0.97x
Stapenhill 8 40.36x
Stone 8 21.78x
Walsall Foreign 8 5.39x
Water Eaton 8 1111.11x
Yoxall 8 211.08x
Bermondsey 7 2.76x
Bletchley 7 466.67x
Broughton In Salford 7 7.58x
Colton 7 355.33x
Hopton Coton 7 172.41x
Paddington London 7 2.24x
Rushall 7 41.42x
Shoreditch London 7 1.90x
Arlesey 6 107.91x
Belgrave 6 28.20x
Blenheim 6 1666.67x
Blithfield 6 689.66x
Brockton 6 923.08x
Colwich 6 87.85x
Corsham 6 54.64x
East Grinstead 6 29.56x
Greenford 6 382.17x
Lambeth 6 0.81x
Leigh 6 314.14x
Linthorpe 6 11.93x
Madeley 6 83.80x
Mile End Old Town 6 4.47x
Salford 6 2.02x
Wednesbury 6 8.36x
Berkswich 5 285.71x
Bradwell 5 69.06x
Castle Church 5 28.97x
Checkley 5 67.02x
Kensington London 5 1.06x
Nottingham St Mary 5 1.69x
Smallthorne 5 46.90x
St George Hanover 5 4.50x
Wadhurst 5 53.08x
Yardley 5 17.59x
Castle Thorpe 4 416.67x
Caterham 4 21.83x
Congleton 4 12.33x
Drayton In Hales 4 26.40x
Hammersmith London 4 1.91x
Leamington Priors 4 7.58x
Littleover 4 176.99x
Mayfield 4 47.17x
Newport Pagnell 4 37.21x
Nuneaton 4 16.10x
Ross 4 28.84x
Shoreham 4 96.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Elizabeth 43
Sarah 28
Annie 18
Jane 18
Ellen 13
Emma 13
Ann 12
Ada 10
Eliza 10
Alice 9
Clara 9
Emily 9
Hannah 9
Catherine 8
Selina 8
Fanny 7
Harriet 7
Florence 6
Julia 6
Kate 6
Lucy 6
Minnie 6
Charlotte 5
Harriett 5
Margaret 5
Agnes 4
Edith 4
Elizth. 4
Lizzie 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Caroline 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Eleanor 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Lavinia 2
Louise 2
Nellie 2
Rosanna 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Bertha 1
Catharine 1
Elizabt. 1
Elizebeth 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 64
John 46
Thomas 40
George 26
James 26
Charles 25
Alfred 15
Henry 14
Arthur 10
Albert 9
Joseph 9
Edwin 8
Richard 8
Benjamin 7
Edward 7
Frederick 7
Harry 6
Frank 5
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Herbert 3
Howard 3
Tom 3
Willm. 3
Alexander 2
Ben 2
Charlie 2
Lawrence 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Robert 2
Solomon 2
Wm. 2
Alick 1
Allan 1
Artemus 1
Ashley 1
August 1
Authur 1
Chas. 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Jabez 1
Jasper 1
Kate 1

FAQ

Tooth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tooth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 870 people were recorded with the Tooth surname. That placed it at #4,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tooth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,128 in 2016. That gives Tooth a modern rank of #5,224.

What does the Tooth surname mean?

A surname denoting someone with protruding teeth or employed as a dentist.

What does the Tooth map show?

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