UK surname
An English habitational name derived from a location in north London.
In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Tottenham surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 50, ranked #34,889, down from #20,349 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tottenham is 116 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 47.4%.
1881 census count
95
Ranked #20,349
Modern count
50
2016, ranked #34,889
Peak year
1901
116 bearers
Map years
2
1891 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tottenham surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tottenham surname density by area, 1901 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 31 | #27,734 |
| 1861 | historical | 57 | #26,718 |
| 1881 | historical | 95 | #20,349 |
| 1891 | historical | 115 | #21,878 |
| 1901 | historical | 116 | #20,933 |
| 1911 | historical | 91 | #23,684 |
| 1997 | modern | 46 | #33,077 |
| 1998 | modern | 49 | #33,000 |
| 1999 | modern | 45 | #33,511 |
| 2000 | modern | 50 | #33,087 |
| 2001 | modern | 51 | #32,850 |
| 2002 | modern | 51 | #33,193 |
| 2003 | modern | 55 | #32,895 |
| 2004 | modern | 56 | #33,067 |
| 2005 | modern | 57 | #33,178 |
| 2006 | modern | 61 | #33,142 |
| 2007 | modern | 59 | #33,634 |
| 2008 | modern | 61 | #33,655 |
| 2009 | modern | 60 | #33,989 |
| 2010 | modern | 61 | #34,143 |
| 2011 | modern | 62 | #34,045 |
| 2012 | modern | 58 | #34,404 |
| 2013 | modern | 52 | #34,780 |
| 2014 | modern | 52 | #34,803 |
| 2015 | modern | 50 | #34,886 |
| 2016 | modern | 50 | #34,889 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, St Pancras and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tormoham with Torquay | Devon |
| 2 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace | London (West Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tottenham surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tottenham, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Tottenham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tottenham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Tottenham is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tottenham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tottenham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Tottenham traces its origins to England, where it emerged as a locational name during the medieval period. The name is derived from the town of Tottenham in Greater London, which was recorded as "Tottenhame" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name itself is believed to originate from the Old English words "Totta" and "ham," meaning "homestead or village of a man named Totta."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tottenham can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1198, where a certain William de Tottenham is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already become established as a hereditary surname by the late 12th century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appears in various historical records and documents. For instance, in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, there is a reference to a John de Tottenham. Additionally, the Calendar of Close Rolls from 1343 mentions a Walter de Tottenham.
Notably, the surname is associated with several notable figures in British history. One such individual is Sir John Tottenham (c. 1425-1500), a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament during the Wars of the Roses. Another is George Tottenham (1587-1659), a distinguished English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge.
In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with Richard Tottenham (1630-1701), an influential merchant and philanthropist who served as the Master of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London. His son, John Tottenham (1660-1722), was a noted barrister and Member of Parliament for Guildford.
Moving into the 18th century, we find Robert Tottenham (1712-1784), a prominent British naval officer who served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's North American Station during the American Revolutionary War.
These examples illustrate the historical significance and widespread presence of the surname Tottenham within British society over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tottenham surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 28 Tottenhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 28 | 2.76x |
| Hampshire | 11 | 5.29x |
| Surrey | 10 | 2.02x |
| Fife | 9 | 14.99x |
| Channel Islands | 8 | 26.61x |
| Sussex | 7 | 4.09x |
| Devon | 6 | 2.84x |
| Berkshire | 5 | 6.57x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.42x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.50x |
| Hertfordshire | 2 | 2.86x |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 1.90x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 1.63x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 1.56x |
| Carmarthenshire | 1 | 2.34x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.29x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 8.27x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.61x |
| Stirlingshire | 1 | 2.67x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George Hanover in Middlesex leads with 10 Tottenhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.53x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| St George Hanover | 10 | 75.53x |
| Dysart | 9 | 222.77x |
| Alverstoke | 8 | 106.24x |
| Lambeth | 7 | 7.92x |
| St Peter Port | 6 | 107.91x |
| St Pancras London | 5 | 6.12x |
| Thirkleby In Malton | 5 | 50000.00x |
| Hastings St Leonards | 4 | 159.36x |
| Stoke Damerel | 4 | 27.06x |
| Tottenham | 4 | 24.77x |
| St Marylebone London | 3 | 5.54x |
| Bishop Stortford | 2 | 85.47x |
| Eastbourne | 2 | 25.41x |
| Everton | 2 | 5.21x |
| Hartland | 2 | 303.03x |
| Kensington London | 2 | 3.55x |
| Liverpool | 2 | 2.74x |
| New Windsor | 2 | 78.13x |
| Penge | 2 | 30.86x |
| St Saviour | 2 | 120.48x |
| Staines | 2 | 124.22x |
| Brighton | 1 | 2.90x |
| Brill | 1 | 222.22x |
| Clevedon | 1 | 58.82x |
| Cookham | 1 | 42.19x |
| Hamble Le Rice | 1 | 714.29x |
| Luton | 1 | 11.00x |
| Pembrey | 1 | 50.76x |
| Plumstead | 1 | 8.67x |
| Portsea | 1 | 2.45x |
| Richmond | 1 | 14.43x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 9.68x |
| Sandhurst | 1 | 68.03x |
| St Andrewthe Less | 1 | 13.62x |
| St Botolph Aldersgate | 1 | 86.21x |
| St George In East | 1 | 14.49x |
| Stirling | 1 | 21.19x |
| Sunninghill | 1 | 94.34x |
| Thornton In Fylde | 1 | 38.02x |
| Titchfield | 1 | 63.69x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tottenham surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tottenham surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tottenham households.
FAQ
In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Tottenham surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 50 in 2016. That gives Tottenham a modern rank of #34,889.
An English habitational name derived from a location in north London.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tottenham bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.