NameCensus.

UK surname

Totman

A surname derived from an English village name meaning "at the toot of men" or "on a lookout hill".

In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Totman surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 173, ranked #21,561, down from #14,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew and Boxted. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Colchester and Taunton Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Totman is 238 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.8%.

1881 census count

162

Ranked #14,746

Modern count

173

2016, ranked #21,561

Peak year

1911

238 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Totman had 162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016, ranked #21,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 238 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Totman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Totman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Totman 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 115 #15,634
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 162 #14,746
1891 historical 168 #16,937
1901 historical 215 #14,478
1911 historical 238 #13,356
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 203 #17,787
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 185 #18,999
2004 modern 192 #18,678
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 181 #20,277
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 176 #21,237
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 180 #20,997
2016 modern 173 #21,561

Geography

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Where Totmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew, Boxted, Colchester Greenstead and Stevenage. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Colchester, Taunton Deane and Forest Heath. 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 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
2 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
3 Boxted Essex
4 Colchester Greenstead Essex
5 Stevenage Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 007 Babergh
2 Colchester 008 Colchester
3 Taunton Deane 001 Taunton Deane
4 Babergh 003 Babergh
5 Forest Heath 003 Forest Heath

Forenames

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First names often paired with Totman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Totman

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Totman is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Totman is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Totman

The surname Totman is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Devon, particularly in the village of Tottington (now known as Tawton). The name is derived from the Old English words "tota" meaning "a look-out" and "mann" meaning "man," suggesting an occupational name for a watchman or sentry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Totman can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a certain Walterus Toteman is mentioned as residing in the village of Tottington. This suggests that the surname had already been established by the early 14th century.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and tenants in England, there is a reference to a "Robertus de Totingtone," which could be an early variant spelling of the surname Totman, further indicating its origins in the village of Tottington.

Notable individuals with the surname Totman throughout history include William Totman (c. 1530-1592), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Luffincott in Devon. Another notable figure was John Totman (1670-1745), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession and is recorded as having commanded the HMS Hunter in 1711.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Totman family settled in the American colonies, with one of the earliest recorded individuals being Thomas Totman, who was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1635. His descendants played a role in the early settlement and development of various New England communities.

Another noteworthy individual was Richard Totman (1825-1905), a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in the South West of England, including the Church of St. Mary in Taunton.

More recently, there was George Totman (1912-1979), a British author and journalist who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Devon, publishing works such as "The Devonshire Year" and "The Green Lanes of Devon."

While the surname Totman has its origins in the county of Devon, it has since spread across various parts of the English-speaking world, with descendants bearing the name found in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Totman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Totman 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. Essex leads with 89 Totmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.53x.

County Total Index
Essex 89 28.53x
Middlesex 28 1.77x
Suffolk 18 9.35x
Kent 10 1.85x
Hertfordshire 6 5.51x
Norfolk 4 1.65x
Lancashire 2 0.11x
Oxfordshire 2 2.05x
Surrey 2 0.26x
Somerset 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Greenstead in Essex leads with 20 Totmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4444.44x.

Place Total Index
Greenstead 20 4444.44x
Boxted 19 4222.22x
Long Melford 18 1005.59x
Rayleigh 10 1388.89x
Finchingfield 9 918.37x
Manuden 8 2051.28x
Walmer 7 299.15x
Debden 6 1363.64x
St Clement Danes 6 234.38x
Hackney London 5 5.64x
Runwell 5 2777.78x
Stevenage 5 295.86x
Islington London 4 2.61x
Prittlewell 4 92.59x
St Pancras London 4 3.14x
Watton 4 526.32x
St George In East 3 27.91x
Braintree 2 71.43x
Enstone 2 333.33x
Mile End Old Town 2 8.02x
Penshurst 2 219.78x
West Derby 2 3.65x
Beddington 1 33.56x
Chester All Sts 1 400.00x
Colchester St Botolph 1 37.74x
Croydon 1 2.34x
Earls Colne 1 116.28x
Gravesend 1 21.93x
Great Burstead 1 87.72x
Hornsey 1 5.01x
Kensington London 1 1.14x
Little Leighs 1 1428.57x
Pentlow 1 625.00x
Stoke Newington London 1 8.12x
Tottenham 1 3.97x
Watford 1 11.85x
West Monkton 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Totman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Totman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Totman surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Totman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016. That gives Totman a modern rank of #21,561.

What does the Totman surname mean?

A surname derived from an English village name meaning "at the toot of men" or "on a lookout hill".

What does the Totman map show?

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