NameCensus.

UK surname

Toynbee

In the 1881 census there were 138 people recorded with the Toynbee surname, ranking it #16,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #16,292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Kyme and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lincoln, Mid Sussex and Boston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toynbee is 216 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.6%.

1881 census count

138

Ranked #16,292

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1901

216 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toynbee had 138 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 216 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Toynbee surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toynbee surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Toynbee 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 139 #16,263
1881 historical 138 #16,292
1891 historical 174 #16,520
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 134 #22,608
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 144 #22,405
2000 modern 138 #22,960
2001 modern 131 #23,343
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 134 #25,263
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Toynbees are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Kyme, London parishes, Brighton and Navenby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lincoln, Mid Sussex, Boston and Badenoch and Strathspey South. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 Kyme Lincolnshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Navenby Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lincoln 007 Lincoln
2 Mid Sussex 016 Mid Sussex
3 Boston 004 Boston
4 Lincoln 009 Lincoln
5 Badenoch and Strathspey South Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Toynbee

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Toynbee

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Toynbee is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Toynbee is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Toynbee falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Toynbee families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toynbee 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. Lincolnshire leads with 48 Toynbees recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.30x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 48 22.30x
Middlesex 35 2.60x
Sussex 23 10.13x
Kent 9 1.96x
Midlothian 7 3.88x
Surrey 7 1.07x
Lancashire 3 0.19x
Essex 2 0.75x
Hampshire 2 0.72x
Yorkshire 2 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 17 Toynbees recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.13x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 17 37.13x
Navenby 13 2954.55x
North Kyme 12 3750.00x
Acton 8 101.39x
Greenwich 7 32.66x
Lasswade 7 169.90x
Heighington 6 1764.71x
Islington London 6 4.60x
Snitterby 5 3846.15x
Clapham 3 17.83x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 61.98x
Hornsey 3 17.63x
St George Hanover 3 17.07x
Toxteth Park 3 5.55x
Waddington 3 769.23x
Bromley London 2 6.75x
Coleby 2 1000.00x
Erith 2 44.15x
Hackney London 2 2.65x
Portsea 2 3.70x
Preston 2 50.51x
St Marylebone London 2 2.78x
Tottenham 2 9.33x
West Ham 2 3.41x
Wimbledon 2 27.17x
All Hallows Less 1 10000.00x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 21.93x
Camberwell 1 1.16x
Chelsea London 1 2.46x
Christ Church Newgate 1 158.73x
Great Grimsby 1 7.32x
Kensington London 1 1.34x
Lambeth 1 0.85x
Market Rasen 1 83.33x
Metheringham 1 116.28x
Moulton 1 96.15x
Norwood 1 32.47x
St Luke London 1 4.63x
St Mark Lincoln 1 217.39x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 33.00x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 1 16.13x
Stoke Newington London 1 9.53x
Sutton St Mary 1 49.02x
Worth 1 60.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Charlotte 4
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Elizth. 3
Grace 3
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Frances 2
(Mrs) 1
Ann 1
Betsy 1
Constance 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Kate 1
Levina 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Sylvia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Toynbee surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toynbee surname in 1881?

In 1881, 138 people were recorded with the Toynbee surname. That placed it at #16,292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toynbee surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Toynbee a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Toynbee map show?

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