NameCensus.

UK surname

Tootill

An English locational surname referring to someone from the town of Toothill.

In the 1881 census there were 405 people recorded with the Tootill surname, ranking it #7,903 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 388, ranked #12,133, down from #7,903 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bury, Middleton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Wigan and Oxford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tootill is 538 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.2%.

1881 census count

405

Ranked #7,903

Modern count

388

2016, ranked #12,133

Peak year

1911

538 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tootill had 405 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,903 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016, ranked #12,133.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 538 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Tootill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tootill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tootill 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 240 #9,068
1861 historical 168 #13,895
1881 historical 405 #7,903
1891 historical 466 #7,861
1901 historical 515 #7,878
1911 historical 538 #7,408
1997 modern 446 #10,142
1998 modern 464 #10,169
1999 modern 451 #10,435
2000 modern 458 #10,281
2001 modern 442 #10,388
2002 modern 434 #10,751
2003 modern 429 #10,684
2004 modern 429 #10,718
2005 modern 407 #11,041
2006 modern 398 #11,304
2007 modern 401 #11,353
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 411 #11,480
2010 modern 426 #11,396
2011 modern 418 #11,440
2012 modern 405 #11,627
2013 modern 415 #11,604
2014 modern 410 #11,788
2015 modern 396 #11,994
2016 modern 388 #12,133

Geography

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Where Tootills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bury, Middleton, Manchester, London parishes and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Wigan, Oxford, Tameside and Chiltern. 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 Bury Lancashire
2 Middleton Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 048 County Durham
2 Wigan 025 Wigan
3 Oxford 009 Oxford
4 Tameside 003 Tameside
5 Chiltern 001 Chiltern

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tootill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tootill

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Tootill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tootill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Tootill is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tootill is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tootill falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tootill

The surname Tootill has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "tut" or "tote," meaning "to project" or "to stick out," and "hyll," meaning "hill." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on or near a prominent or projecting hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273 mention a Richard de Tuthill, while the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a William Totehull.

Over time, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Toothill, Tuthyll, and Tuthill, before settling into its modern form of Tootill. This evolution was common during the medieval period, as spelling conventions were not yet standardized.

The name appears to have been particularly prevalent in certain regions of England, such as Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire. In these areas, it is possible that the name may have originated from specific place names incorporating the elements "tut" or "tote" and "hill."

One notable figure bearing the Tootill surname was John Tootill (c. 1620-1676), an English Catholic priest who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District of England during the 17th century. Another was William Tootill (1672-1743), a British civil engineer and surveyor known for his work on the River Trent navigation system.

In the 18th century, a family of Tootills gained prominence in the textile industry in Lancashire. Joseph Tootill (1719-1783) was a successful cotton manufacturer and merchant, while his son, also named Joseph Tootill (1757-1828), continued in the family business and became a prominent figure in the town of Bolton.

During the 19th century, the Tootill name was associated with the coal mining industry in Derbyshire. James Tootill (1810-1879) was a coal mine owner and operator in the area, while his son, John Tootill (1839-1912), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent figure in the local coal trade.

These examples illustrate the historical presence of the Tootill surname across various regions of England and its association with different industries and professions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tootill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tootill 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. Lancashire leads with 355 Tootills recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 355 7.57x
Cheshire 14 1.61x
Yorkshire 14 0.36x
Surrey 6 0.31x
Middlesex 5 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.94x
Essex 3 0.38x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Leicestershire 1 0.23x
Renfrewshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury in Lancashire leads with 38 Tootills recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.96x.

Place Total Index
Bury 38 70.96x
Ainsworth 37 2044.20x
Turton 30 390.63x
Great Bolton 20 32.21x
Halliwell 16 93.79x
Prestwich 15 128.31x
Elton 14 86.42x
Harwood 13 530.61x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 13.43x
Droylsden 9 58.86x
Edgeworth 9 357.14x
Little Bolton 9 14.93x
Manchester 9 4.27x
Radcliffe 9 39.82x
Spotland 9 17.27x
Failsworth 8 74.56x
Westleigh 8 75.12x
Dukinfield 7 17.37x
Hindley 7 35.02x
Tottington Lower End 7 31.42x
Batley 6 16.13x
Broughton In Salford 6 14.00x
Todmorden Walsden 6 47.77x
Blackburn 5 4.01x
Bulwell 5 43.18x
Chadderton 5 21.82x
Clerkenwell London 5 5.36x
Little Lever 5 83.47x
Oldham 5 3.30x
Toxteth Park 5 3.15x
Manningham 4 8.29x
Salford 4 2.90x
Tonge With Haulgh 4 43.81x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 2.93x
Barrow In Furness 3 4.71x
Burnley 3 7.60x
Cheetham 3 8.58x
Colchester St Botolph 3 45.25x
Lambeth 3 0.87x
Liverpool 3 1.05x
Padiham 3 26.48x
Pownall Fee 3 76.92x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 16.49x
Sutton 3 21.54x
Blackley 2 24.33x
Bollington In 2 25.77x
Farnworth 2 7.12x
Hulme 2 2.04x
Layton With Warbreck 2 11.63x
Pendleton In Salford 2 3.58x
Sale 2 18.69x
Tottington Higher End 2 37.45x
Abbey 1 2.14x
Barlow 1 80.65x
Birtle Cum Bamford 1 32.68x
Easington In Clitheroe 1 250.00x
Great Heaton 1 196.08x
Heaton Norris 1 3.75x
Whitwick 1 17.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 19
Alice 15
Hannah 9
Ellen 7
Jane 7
Annie 6
Margaret 6
Martha 6
Ann 5
Clara 5
Emma 5
Nancy 5
Bertha 4
Ada 3
Betty 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Lilian 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Susannah 2
Ailse 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Eda 1
Edna 1
Eleanor 1
Elina 1
Elizth.A. 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lavina 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Lynda 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Mgt. 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 19
James 18
Thomas 15
Joseph 14
Edward 7
Richard 7
Robert 6
Harry 5
Arthur 4
Fred 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
George 3
Jas. 3
Peter 3
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Levi 2
Richd. 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Cornelius 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Ed. 1
Ed.Dixon 1
Elijah 1
Elizabeth 1
Enoch 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Jac. 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jno.Hy. 1
Maria 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Roger 1
Scot 1

FAQ

Tootill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tootill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 405 people were recorded with the Tootill surname. That placed it at #7,903 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tootill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016. That gives Tootill a modern rank of #12,133.

What does the Tootill surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone from the town of Toothill.

What does the Tootill map show?

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