NameCensus.

UK surname

Tune

An occupational surname for a player or maker of musical instruments, or a collector of barrel staves.

In the 1881 census there were 376 people recorded with the Tune surname, ranking it #8,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 801, ranked #6,910, up from #8,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Epworth, Belton, Haxey (Owston, Lincolnshire), Owston (West Butterwick and Kelfield; Owston, Lincol, Bidstone and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tune is 813 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.0%.

1881 census count

376

Ranked #8,326

Modern count

801

2016, ranked #6,910

Peak year

2014

813 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tune had 376 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 801 in 2016, ranked #6,910.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 563 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Tune surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tune surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tune 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 250 #8,788
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 376 #8,326
1891 historical 350 #9,836
1901 historical 492 #8,149
1911 historical 563 #7,163
1997 modern 717 #7,115
1998 modern 761 #7,021
1999 modern 760 #7,072
2000 modern 752 #7,089
2001 modern 745 #7,021
2002 modern 747 #7,131
2003 modern 739 #7,090
2004 modern 757 #6,972
2005 modern 739 #7,044
2006 modern 741 #7,052
2007 modern 753 #7,031
2008 modern 774 #6,934
2009 modern 799 #6,900
2010 modern 801 #7,018
2011 modern 787 #7,051
2012 modern 799 #6,835
2013 modern 805 #6,916
2014 modern 813 #6,892
2015 modern 804 #6,911
2016 modern 801 #6,910

Geography

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Where Tunes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Epworth, Belton, Haxey (Owston, Lincolnshire), Owston (West Butterwick and Kelfield; Owston, Lincol, Bidstone, Brighton, Crowle and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, Selby and South Staffordshire. 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 Epworth, Belton, Haxey (Owston, Lincolnshire), Owston (West Butterwick and Kelfield; Owston, Lincol Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bidstone Cheshire
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Crowle Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 North Lincolnshire 020 North Lincolnshire
3 Selby 008 Selby
4 North Lincolnshire 003 North Lincolnshire
5 South Staffordshire 012 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tune

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tune

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tune, 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 Tune surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tune 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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tune is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Tune 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

Tune falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tune is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tune, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tune

The surname TUNE is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for a musician or a tuner of musical instruments.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the late 13th century, where it appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire as "Tun." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have derived from the Old English word "tun," meaning a town or a village.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Tune," "Toun," and "Tovne," reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. The Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 mention a "Thomas Tune," which is one of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling.

During the 15th century, the name TUNE started to gain prominence, particularly in the southern counties of England. The Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524 list a "John Tune," and the Parish Registers of Gloucestershire from 1571 include a "William Tune."

One notable bearer of the surname TUNE was Sir John Tune (1534-1592), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Colchester during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name TUNE appeared in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax Returns of Buckinghamshire from 1664, which mentioned a "Nathaniel Tune." Around this time, the surname also started to appear in Scotland, with records showing a "Robert Tune" in Glasgow in 1684.

Another notable figure was Thomas Tune (1638-1701), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

In the 18th century, the TUNE surname continued to spread across England and Scotland. The Parish Registers of Yorkshire from 1705 recorded a "John Tune," while the Monumental Inscriptions of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, from 1792 listed a "Margaret Tune."

One of the most prominent figures with the surname TUNE during this period was Sir Samuel Tune (1725-1798), a British naval officer who served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's North American Station during the American Revolutionary War.

As the centuries progressed, the TUNE surname continued to be found in various regions of the United Kingdom, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields, including politics, religion, and the military.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tune families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tune 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. Yorkshire leads with 177 Tunes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.87x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 177 4.87x
Lincolnshire 51 8.70x
Surrey 21 1.18x
Sussex 21 3.40x
Hampshire 19 2.53x
Staffordshire 18 1.45x
Lancashire 14 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 13 2.63x
Warwickshire 12 1.30x
Essex 11 1.52x
Derbyshire 5 0.87x
Middlesex 4 0.11x
Cheshire 3 0.37x
Durham 3 0.27x
Devon 2 0.26x
Kent 1 0.08x
Worcestershire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crowle in Yorkshire leads with 28 Tunes recorded in 1881 and an index of 784.31x.

Place Total Index
Crowle 28 784.31x
Holy Trinity 22 25.17x
Brightside Bierlow 10 14.03x
Alton 9 158.73x
Brighton 9 7.21x
Bradfield 8 57.10x
Checkley 8 248.45x
Croydon 8 8.06x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 10.82x
Ramsden Crays 8 2857.14x
Aston 7 2.75x
Burringham 7 1029.41x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 10.12x
Cliff Cum Lund 7 875.00x
Gainsborough 7 50.61x
Kimberworth 7 34.71x
Barnsley 6 16.00x
Bishops Waltham 6 191.69x
Broughton 6 365.85x
Haxey 6 240.96x
Kirk Bramwith 6 2727.27x
Mexborough 6 83.22x
Rotherhithe 6 13.24x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 4.57x
Upton 6 1818.18x
Altofts 5 124.69x
Barrow On Humber 5 147.06x
Bermondsey 5 4.58x
Birmingham 5 1.62x
Hemingbrough 5 694.44x
Immingham 5 1470.59x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 48.08x
Thorp Audlin 5 1562.50x
Westhampnett 5 769.23x
Wombwell 5 47.17x
Blackwell 4 141.84x
Brompton In 4 246.91x
Dewsbury 4 10.73x
Eastoft 4 526.32x
North Leverton 4 1052.63x
Sculcoates 4 6.94x
Westbourne 4 129.87x
Barnby On Don 3 434.78x
Crumpsall 3 29.24x
Harpurhey 3 49.67x
Hook 3 37.50x
Hucknall Torkard 3 23.92x
Roxby Cum Risby 3 576.92x
Sheffield 3 2.59x
Tranmere 3 10.08x
Tunstall 3 55.25x
Doncaster 2 7.53x
Elloughton Cum Brough 2 178.57x
Epworth 2 73.26x
Everton 2 243.90x
Garthorpe 2 281.69x
Goole 2 32.84x
Kilpin 2 465.12x
Kingsley 2 86.58x
Moss 2 571.43x
Northam 2 35.97x
Owston 2 120.48x
Scarborough 2 6.06x
Southcoates 2 9.91x
St Marylebone London 2 1.02x
Tipton 2 5.28x
Tottenham 2 3.42x
West Ham 2 1.25x
Everton 1 0.72x
Holdenhurst 1 5.07x
Kidderminster Borough 1 3.57x
Newbold Dunston 1 18.32x
North Kelsey 1 94.34x
Reedness 1 161.29x
South Bersted 1 19.01x
South Leverton 1 196.08x
Southampton All Sts 1 7.75x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.12x
Springfield 1 31.55x
Winterton 1 49.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 24
Elizabeth 14
Ann 9
Annie 7
Jane 7
Eliza 6
Alice 5
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Rose 4
Betsy 3
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Maria 2
Susannah 2
Beatrice 1
Clare 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizath.Barber 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eveline 1
Faney 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Honora 1
Laura 1
Lina 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mable 1
Margaret 1
Marth 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1
Rebecca 1
Rosina 1
Sabra 1
Sally 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 29
William 29
Thomas 21
John 16
Charles 15
James 7
Joseph 7
Edward 5
Henry 5
Walter 5
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jenning 2
Mark 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Tom 2
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Arnold 1
Charley 1
Chas.Edwd. 1
Earnest 1
Edwn. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Luke 1
Michael 1
Morm... 1
Raymon 1
Reginal 1
Rupert 1
Sardivan 1
Wallis 1

FAQ

Tune surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tune surname in 1881?

In 1881, 376 people were recorded with the Tune surname. That placed it at #8,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tune surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 801 in 2016. That gives Tune a modern rank of #6,910.

What does the Tune surname mean?

An occupational surname for a player or maker of musical instruments, or a collector of barrel staves.

What does the Tune map show?

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