NameCensus.

UK surname

Tugwell

An English topographic surname indicating someone who lived near a path, track, or well-trodden way.

In the 1881 census there were 595 people recorded with the Tugwell surname, ranking it #5,878 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 884, ranked #6,377, down from #5,878 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brighton and Hove, West Devon and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tugwell is 980 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.6%.

1881 census count

595

Ranked #5,878

Modern count

884

2016, ranked #6,377

Peak year

2000

980 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tugwell had 595 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,878 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 884 in 2016, ranked #6,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 912 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tugwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tugwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tugwell 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 420 #5,797
1861 historical 390 #6,567
1881 historical 595 #5,878
1891 historical 684 #5,723
1901 historical 870 #5,262
1911 historical 912 #4,892
1997 modern 918 #5,886
1998 modern 931 #5,999
1999 modern 952 #5,935
2000 modern 980 #5,791
2001 modern 935 #5,890
2002 modern 947 #5,939
2003 modern 927 #5,946
2004 modern 941 #5,883
2005 modern 902 #6,019
2006 modern 877 #6,157
2007 modern 892 #6,127
2008 modern 892 #6,163
2009 modern 900 #6,269
2010 modern 895 #6,416
2011 modern 895 #6,348
2012 modern 896 #6,271
2013 modern 915 #6,267
2014 modern 904 #6,350
2015 modern 878 #6,430
2016 modern 884 #6,377

Geography

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Where Tugwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Lambeth, Horsham, Sullington and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brighton and Hove, West Devon, Wiltshire and Breckland. 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 3
2 Battersea London (South Districts)
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Horsham, Sullington Sussex
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brighton and Hove 008 Brighton and Hove
2 West Devon 005 West Devon
3 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
4 Breckland 002 Breckland
5 Brighton and Hove 002 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tugwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tugwell

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

Tugwell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Tugwell

The surname Tugwell originates from England, where it first appeared as early as the 13th century. It is a locational name, derived from a place name that literally means "a well near a path or road" in Old English. The name is composed of two elements: "tug," meaning a narrow path or road, and "well," referring to a source of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Hertfordshire, dated 1273, which mentions a person named Adam de Tugwelle. This suggests that the name was already established in that county during the medieval period.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Tuggwelle, Tuggewelle, and Toggwelle, reflecting the variations in spellings that were common in those times. These variations likely stemmed from local pronunciations and the scribes' interpretations.

The Tugwell surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers was William Tugwell, a merchant and alderman of Bristol, England, who lived in the late 14th century and was involved in trade with Ireland.

In the 16th century, a family of Tugwells resided in the parish of Crondall, Hampshire. One member, Thomas Tugwell, was a yeoman farmer who lived in the early 1500s and owned lands in the area.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a John Tugwell served as a captain in the Parliamentarian army under Oliver Cromwell. He fought in several battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the 18th century, a notable figure was Richard Tugwell, a physician and botanist who lived from 1720 to 1799. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and contributed to the study of plants and their medicinal properties.

Another significant person with the Tugwell surname was Rexford Guy Tugwell, an American economist and federal official who lived from 1891 to 1979. He served as a member of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Brain Trust and played a key role in the implementation of the New Deal policies during the Great Depression.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tugwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tugwell 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. Sussex leads with 194 Tugwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.79x.

County Total Index
Sussex 194 19.79x
Surrey 145 5.12x
Kent 74 3.73x
Middlesex 53 0.91x
Wiltshire 49 9.53x
Gloucestershire 29 2.54x
Somerset 16 1.71x
Monmouthshire 9 2.14x
Yorkshire 8 0.14x
Berkshire 4 0.92x
Hampshire 3 0.25x
Devon 2 0.17x
Lanarkshire 2 0.11x
Leicestershire 2 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Essex 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.25x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

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 80 Tugwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.45x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 80 40.45x
Maidstone 36 60.92x
Lambeth 23 4.54x
Horsham 22 115.55x
Battersea 19 8.88x
Banstead 14 182.29x
Dorking 13 68.35x
Tetbury 13 201.24x
Tonbridge 13 18.17x
Wonersh 12 339.94x
Cheltenham 9 10.23x
Findon 9 638.30x
Frindsbury 9 120.48x
Oaksey 9 1058.82x
Rumney 9 1011.24x
Warminghurst 9 4736.84x
Hillmarton 8 625.00x
Pulborough 8 222.22x
Rusper 8 747.66x
Scarborough 8 15.28x
Walcot 8 16.05x
Hackney London 7 2.15x
Hampstead London 7 7.73x
Hurstpierpoint 7 128.44x
Preston 7 40.89x
Camberwell 6 1.62x
East Farleigh 6 180.18x
Epsom 6 43.45x
Islington London 6 1.06x
Kensington London 6 1.86x
Paddington London 6 2.81x
Acton 5 14.67x
Ashley 5 2500.00x
Compton 5 526.32x
Cranleigh 5 120.48x
Crudwell 5 333.33x
Cuckfield 5 50.51x
Guildford St Nicholas 5 99.80x
Hankerton 5 735.29x
Hove 5 11.63x
Kingston On Thames 5 7.35x
Subdeanery 5 67.20x
Arundel 4 72.86x
Bath St James 4 40.98x
Clayton 4 108.40x
Croydon 4 2.54x
Didcot 4 540.54x
Eastbourne 4 8.87x
Greenwich 4 4.32x
Heddington 4 563.38x
Malmesbury The Abbey 4 1333.33x
Mile End Old Town 4 4.36x
Pyecombe 4 588.24x
Reigate Foreign 4 13.04x
Walton On Thames 4 30.75x
Albury 3 116.28x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.19x
Caterham 3 23.96x
Frampton Cotterell 3 75.00x
St Gilesin Fields 3 88.50x
Westport St Mary 3 80.43x
Aldershot 2 5.01x
Bathwick 2 19.31x
Bradford On Avon 2 12.15x
Gillingham 2 4.89x
Godalming 2 11.22x
Govan 2 0.43x
Guildford Holy Trinity 2 37.04x
Littlehampton 2 25.54x
Newdigate 2 151.52x
Patcham 2 113.64x
Reigate Borough 2 30.63x
Swindon 2 5.02x
Tormoham 2 3.91x
Westminster St James 2 3.35x
Broadwater 1 4.45x
Climping 1 185.19x
Malmesbury St Paul 1 22.62x
Petworth 1 17.09x
Richmond 1 2.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 27
Jane 18
Annie 17
Sarah 13
Ellen 12
Emily 10
Emma 10
Alice 8
Eliza 8
Harriet 8
Louisa 8
Caroline 7
Florence 7
Ann 6
Harriett 6
Edith 5
Frances 5
Martha 5
Charlotte 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Ada 3
Amy 3
Anne 3
Beatrice 3
Fanny 3
Lucy 3
Minnie 3
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Marion 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Bridget 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Thirsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
James 22
Thomas 20
George 19
John 17
Charles 13
Henry 13
Alfred 11
Harry 8
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Frederick 7
Ernest 6
Albert 5
Edmund 4
Benjamin 3
Frank 3
Lewis 3
Philip 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Caleb 2
Herbert 2
Lewin 2
Luke 2
Wm. 2
Barnerd 1
Christopher 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Kenesey 1
Kester 1
Lawrence 1
Lew. 1
Lindfield 1
Louis 1

FAQ

Tugwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tugwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 595 people were recorded with the Tugwell surname. That placed it at #5,878 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tugwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 884 in 2016. That gives Tugwell a modern rank of #6,377.

What does the Tugwell surname mean?

An English topographic surname indicating someone who lived near a path, track, or well-trodden way.

What does the Tugwell map show?

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