NameCensus.

UK surname

Tunstall

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Tunstall in England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,589 people recorded with the Tunstall surname, ranking it #2,673 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,435, ranked #2,704, down from #2,673 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bridekirk, Burslem and Prescot. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, Allerdale and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tunstall is 2,623 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.2%.

1881 census count

1,589

Ranked #2,673

Modern count

2,435

2016, ranked #2,704

Peak year

2000

2,623 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tunstall had 1,589 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,673 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,435 in 2016, ranked #2,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,485 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tunstall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tunstall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tunstall 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 1,119 #2,519
1861 historical 1,070 #2,634
1881 historical 1,589 #2,673
1891 historical 1,806 #2,544
1901 historical 2,136 #2,521
1911 historical 2,485 #2,070
1997 modern 2,364 #2,641
1998 modern 2,583 #2,531
1999 modern 2,622 #2,513
2000 modern 2,623 #2,506
2001 modern 2,571 #2,501
2002 modern 2,597 #2,534
2003 modern 2,542 #2,531
2004 modern 2,531 #2,541
2005 modern 2,451 #2,582
2006 modern 2,423 #2,614
2007 modern 2,424 #2,634
2008 modern 2,436 #2,637
2009 modern 2,476 #2,669
2010 modern 2,558 #2,644
2011 modern 2,507 #2,670
2012 modern 2,452 #2,669
2013 modern 2,472 #2,695
2014 modern 2,490 #2,693
2015 modern 2,473 #2,681
2016 modern 2,435 #2,704

Geography

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Where Tunstalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bridekirk, Burslem, Prescot, Liverpool and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, Allerdale, St. Helens and Wigan. 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 Bridekirk Cumberland
2 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Prescot Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 007 Eden
2 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
3 St. Helens 001 St. Helens
4 St. Helens 016 St. Helens
5 Wigan 038 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tunstall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tunstall

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tunstall is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tunstall is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tunstall falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tunstall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tunstall

The surname Tunstall is of English origin, derived from various place names in Lancashire and Staffordshire. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century, derived from the Old English words "tun" meaning an enclosure or farm, and "stallu" meaning a wooded area or a clearing.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tunstall" in reference to landholdings in Staffordshire. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the surname Tunstall was found in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals with the name in Lancashire and Staffordshire. The spelling variations included "Tunstall," "Tunstalle," and "Tonestalle."

Notable individuals with the surname Tunstall include Sir Thomas Tunstall (c.1475-1556), an English Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of London and Bishop of Durham. Another prominent figure was Cuthbert Tunstall (c.1474-1559), an English scholar, diplomat, and Bishop of Durham, known for his role in the English Reformation.

In the 16th century, William Tunstall (c.1520-1554) was an English Roman Catholic priest who was martyred during the reign of Queen Mary I for his Protestant beliefs. Francis Tunstall (c.1555-1616) was an English Roman Catholic priest and scholar, known for his work on ecclesiastical history.

During the 17th century, James Tunstall (1616-1670) was an English Anglican clergyman and academic who served as the Master of St John's College, Cambridge. He played a significant role in the university's affairs during the English Civil War.

Throughout history, the surname Tunstall has been associated with various place names, such as Tunstall in Lancashire, Tunstall in Staffordshire, and Tunstall in Kent. These place names likely contributed to the widespread use and distribution of the surname across different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tunstall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tunstall 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. Lancashire leads with 523 Tunstalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.84x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 523 2.84x
Staffordshire 282 5.39x
Yorkshire 138 0.90x
Cumberland 104 7.79x
Middlesex 94 0.61x
Durham 83 1.80x
Cheshire 80 2.34x
Derbyshire 41 1.69x
Surrey 36 0.48x
Kent 31 0.59x
Warwickshire 27 0.69x
Westmorland 26 7.63x
Worcestershire 25 1.23x
Essex 23 0.75x
Clackmannanshire 12 9.37x
Devon 8 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.38x
Somerset 8 0.32x
Herefordshire 6 0.94x
Northumberland 6 0.26x
Sussex 6 0.23x
Shropshire 5 0.37x
Gloucestershire 4 0.13x
Monmouthshire 4 0.36x
Denbighshire 2 0.34x
Hampshire 2 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.24x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Stirlingshire 1 0.17x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burslem in Staffordshire leads with 91 Tunstalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.68x.

Place Total Index
Burslem 91 60.68x
Stoke Upon Trent 52 9.37x
Bridekirk 38 356.14x
Liverpool 31 2.77x
Little Bolton 27 11.41x
Manchester 27 3.26x
Parr 25 37.97x
Wolverhampton 25 6.21x
Wolstanton 24 15.09x
Everton 22 3.75x
Leeds 22 2.53x
Toxteth Park 22 3.53x
Smallthorne 21 108.08x
Windle 21 20.28x
Bethnal Green London 20 2.97x
Newton In Makerfield 20 35.49x
West Derby 20 3.71x
Rainford 18 90.45x
Darlington 17 9.54x
Birkenhead 16 5.86x
Lambeth 16 1.18x
Brigham 15 237.72x
Milton In Gravesend 15 18.90x
Wavertree 15 25.46x
Islington London 14 0.93x
Stainmore 14 532.32x
Aston 13 1.21x
Newcastle Under Lyme 13 14.03x
Alloa 12 19.32x
Halifax 12 5.32x
Hollington 12 1008.40x
North Meols 12 6.66x
Shoreditch London 12 1.78x
Bishopwearmouth 11 2.78x
Litchurch 11 11.26x
Mile End Old Town 11 4.49x
Romford 11 22.73x
Blackburn 10 2.04x
Hackney London 10 1.15x
Ince In Makerfield 10 11.68x
Knutsford Nether 10 48.31x
Netherton 10 487.80x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 3.20x
Stone 10 14.93x
Stranton 10 6.44x
Woodplumpton 10 151.98x
Birmingham 9 0.69x
Bradford 9 2.42x
Crayford 9 38.94x
Manningham 9 4.75x
Morley 9 11.26x
Tranmere 9 7.15x
Worcester Blockhouse 9 80.94x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.99x
Astley 8 56.34x
Biddulph 8 27.08x
Bowes 8 224.09x
Bury 8 3.81x
Denton 8 19.61x
Macclesfield 8 5.26x
Radcliffe 8 9.02x
Walton On Hill 8 8.02x
Workington 8 10.46x
Accrington 7 4.18x
Crompton 7 13.36x
Darfield 7 50.04x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 7.58x
Gravesend 7 15.63x
Ilkley 7 27.87x
Kidderminster Borough 7 5.91x
Sutton 7 11.34x
Treales Roseacre 7 235.69x
Trentham 7 15.72x
Blencogo 6 594.06x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.05x
Crosscanonby 6 13.59x
Flimby 6 53.19x
Harborne 6 3.58x
Kirkdale 6 1.94x
Lathom 6 27.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 112
William 94
James 80
Thomas 72
George 35
Joseph 29
Henry 25
Alfred 18
Edward 18
Samuel 18
Charles 15
Richard 15
Frederick 14
Peter 12
Robert 12
Arthur 9
Daniel 9
Albert 8
Wm. 7
Herbert 6
Francis 5
Joshua 5
Thos. 5
Walter 5
Aaron 4
Edmund 4
Harry 4
Nathan 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Elijah 3
Fletcher 3
Fred 3
Harold 3
Mathew 3
Matthew 3
Ralph 3
Roger 3
Stephen 3
Tom 3
A. 2
Andrew 2
Christopher 2
Cuthbert 2
Elias 2
Frank 2
Jonathan 2
Lever 2
Moses 2
Richd. 2

FAQ

Tunstall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tunstall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,589 people were recorded with the Tunstall surname. That placed it at #2,673 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tunstall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,435 in 2016. That gives Tunstall a modern rank of #2,704.

What does the Tunstall surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Tunstall in England.

What does the Tunstall map show?

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