NameCensus.

UK surname

Tuffs

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a tuft or hillock.

In the 1881 census there were 269 people recorded with the Tuffs surname, ranking it #10,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 412, ranked #11,627, down from #10,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret and Lakenheath. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest Heath, Redcar and Cleveland and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tuffs is 466 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.2%.

1881 census count

269

Ranked #10,506

Modern count

412

2016, ranked #11,627

Peak year

1999

466 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tuffs had 269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 412 in 2016, ranked #11,627.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 411 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Tuffs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tuffs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tuffs 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 198 #10,483
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 269 #10,506
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 376 #9,899
1911 historical 411 #9,112
1997 modern 453 #10,015
1998 modern 462 #10,201
1999 modern 466 #10,189
2000 modern 461 #10,231
2001 modern 447 #10,294
2002 modern 444 #10,553
2003 modern 452 #10,258
2004 modern 457 #10,168
2005 modern 428 #10,619
2006 modern 425 #10,729
2007 modern 433 #10,662
2008 modern 425 #10,934
2009 modern 441 #10,875
2010 modern 452 #10,880
2011 modern 449 #10,807
2012 modern 416 #11,372
2013 modern 426 #11,350
2014 modern 418 #11,614
2015 modern 419 #11,483
2016 modern 412 #11,627

Geography

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Where Tuffs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret, Lakenheath and Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest Heath, Redcar and Cleveland, Mid Suffolk and Chesterfield. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 Lakenheath Suffolk
5 Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest Heath 002 Forest Heath
2 Redcar and Cleveland 009 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Forest Heath 003 Forest Heath
4 Mid Suffolk 002 Mid Suffolk
5 Chesterfield 002 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tuffs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tuffs

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Tuffs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tuffs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Tuffs is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tuffs 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

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

Meaning and origin of Tuffs

The surname Tuffs is of English origin, deriving from an ancient medieval word meaning "a clump or tuft of grass." It is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, likely referring to a person who lived near a prominent tuft of grass or had a distinctive tuft of hair.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. One of the earliest documented examples is found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which mentions a Hugo Tufft.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Tufft, Tuft, and Tuff, reflecting the phonetic variations common in medieval record-keeping. A notable figure from this period was John Tufft, a landowner in Yorkshire who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of 1367.

The Tuffs surname is also associated with several place names in England, particularly in the counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. For instance, the village of Tufton in Nottinghamshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "tuft" and "tun," meaning "tuft settlement."

During the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with individuals like William Tuffs (1520-1587), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London. Another notable figure was Richard Tuffs (1558-1631), a respected lawyer and Member of Parliament for Taunton during the reign of King James I.

In the 17th century, the Tuffs family established itself as a prominent landholding family in the county of Dorset. One of the most renowned members was Sir John Tuffs (1620-1685), a knight and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the English Civil War.

Other historical figures bearing the Tuffs surname include Thomas Tuffs (1705-1778), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London, and Mary Tuffs (1745-1821), a philanthropist and benefactor known for her charitable works in the city of Bristol.

Throughout its history, the Tuffs surname has been represented across various professions, from merchants and lawyers to architects and landowners, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tuffs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tuffs 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. Suffolk leads with 108 Tuffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.30x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 108 34.30x
Norfolk 73 18.37x
Middlesex 41 1.59x
Kent 8 0.91x
Cheshire 6 1.05x
Yorkshire 6 0.23x
Berkshire 5 2.58x
Derbyshire 5 1.24x
Lincolnshire 4 0.97x
Essex 3 0.59x
Hampshire 3 0.57x
Denbighshire 1 1.02x
Leicestershire 1 0.35x
Surrey 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eye in Suffolk leads with 37 Tuffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1822.66x.

Place Total Index
Eye 37 1822.66x
Lakenheath 31 1867.47x
Kensington London 10 6.96x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 10 83.82x
Terrington St Clement 10 555.56x
Long Melford 8 273.04x
Deptford St Paul 7 10.29x
Norwich St Etheldred 7 1250.00x
St Luke London 7 16.88x
Macclesfield 6 23.66x
Bromley London 5 8.79x
Edmonton 5 24.00x
New Windsor 5 76.69x
Thornham Parva 5 4166.67x
Wells Next Sea 5 215.52x
Whittington 5 89.29x
Blyford 4 2500.00x
Great Barton 4 547.95x
Great Yarmouth 4 12.15x
Norwich St John Timberhill 4 373.83x
Occold 4 869.57x
Sotherton 4 2500.00x
West Bradenham 4 1481.48x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.67x
Braiseworth 3 2142.86x
Docking 3 240.00x
East Bilney 3 1764.71x
Hoxne 3 337.08x
Islington London 3 1.20x
Kirby Cane 3 810.81x
St George In East 3 17.06x
St Maryle Wigford 3 93.46x
Swaffham 3 92.88x
Bentley 2 555.56x
Castle Acre 2 169.49x
Diss 2 58.65x
Downham Market 2 73.26x
Hampstead London 2 4.97x
Horningtoft 2 1052.63x
Middlesbrough 2 6.00x
Paddington London 2 2.10x
Portsea 2 1.93x
Shouldham Thorpe 2 800.00x
Southcoates 2 14.06x
West Ham 2 1.78x
Woolpit 2 219.78x
Yaxham 2 465.12x
Alton 1 25.06x
Beccles 1 19.72x
Chelmsford 1 11.43x
Clapham 1 3.10x
Great Grimsby 1 3.81x
Greenwich 1 2.43x
Holme Hale 1 277.78x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.43x
Llanrhydd 1 129.87x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 21.98x
Needham 1 357.14x
Rougham 1 294.12x
Ruswarp 1 35.09x
Scole Cum Frenze 1 172.41x
Westminster St 1 10.49x
Woodrising 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 13
Sarah 8
Emma 7
Ann 6
Eliza 5
Alice 4
Frances 4
Harriet 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Rachel 2
Rosa 2
Susan 2
Blanche 1
Caro. 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elleanor 1
Ellner 1
Emeline 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Harriate 1
Isabela 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Lear 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Mildred 1
Una 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
James 11
William 11
Thomas 8
George 7
Robert 7
Samuel 6
Charles 5
Henry 5
Walter 5
Peter 4
Arthur 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Christfer 2
David 2
Elijah 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Seymour 2
Alexandra 1
Bartle 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Freeman 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jonah 1
Josiah 1
Percival 1
Russell 1
Soloman 1
Stephen 1
Truman 1
Uriah 1
Wiliam 1

FAQ

Tuffs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tuffs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 269 people were recorded with the Tuffs surname. That placed it at #10,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tuffs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 412 in 2016. That gives Tuffs a modern rank of #11,627.

What does the Tuffs surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a tuft or hillock.

What does the Tuffs map show?

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