NameCensus.

UK surname

Tyndall

From the Old English for "someone who lived in a valley frequented by martens," a weasel-like animal.

In the 1881 census there were 245 people recorded with the Tyndall surname, ranking it #11,232 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 417, ranked #11,504, down from #11,232 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, Kirklees and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tyndall is 458 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.2%.

1881 census count

245

Ranked #11,232

Modern count

417

2016, ranked #11,504

Peak year

2010

458 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tyndall had 245 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,232 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016, ranked #11,504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tyndall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tyndall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tyndall 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 245 #11,232
1891 historical 310 #10,812
1901 historical 346 #10,516
1911 historical 260 #12,561
1997 modern 428 #10,451
1998 modern 430 #10,772
1999 modern 447 #10,497
2000 modern 433 #10,750
2001 modern 414 #10,942
2002 modern 406 #11,315
2003 modern 391 #11,441
2004 modern 395 #11,390
2005 modern 399 #11,206
2006 modern 414 #10,946
2007 modern 419 #10,954
2008 modern 419 #11,058
2009 modern 441 #10,875
2010 modern 458 #10,756
2011 modern 457 #10,651
2012 modern 426 #11,139
2013 modern 441 #11,016
2014 modern 433 #11,262
2015 modern 432 #11,183
2016 modern 417 #11,504

Geography

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Where Tyndalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, Kirklees, Stroud and Newark and Sherwood. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 015 Gloucester
2 Kirklees 025 Kirklees
3 Stroud 005 Stroud
4 Newark and Sherwood 001 Newark and Sherwood
5 Gloucester 009 Gloucester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tyndall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tyndall

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

Tyndall is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Tyndall

The surname Tyndall originated in England and is believed to have derived from a place name. It is thought to have originated from the Old English word "tun", meaning an enclosure or homestead, and "dal", meaning a valley. The name was likely initially used to identify someone who lived near a valley or by an enclosed settlement.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Tyndall dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Tundel". This record suggests that the name was present in England during the Norman Conquest and was likely derived from a specific place name.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Tyndall" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating its widespread use across different regions of England by that time. The variant spelling "Tindall" was also documented in various historical records from the 14th century onwards.

One notable figure associated with the surname Tyndall was William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536), a renowned English scholar and translator who was the first to translate the Bible into English from the original Greek and Hebrew texts. His work played a crucial role in the Protestant Reformation and laid the foundation for subsequent English Bible translations.

Another prominent individual with the surname Tyndall was John Tyndall (1820-1893), an Irish physicist renowned for his research on infrared radiation, the greenhouse effect, and the scattering of light by molecules in the atmosphere. He made significant contributions to the fields of atmospheric physics and glaciology.

In the 17th century, a man named William Tyndall (1617-1688) served as a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament in Bristol, England. He was actively involved in the city's trade and governance during his lifetime.

During the 18th century, John Tyndall (1744-1805) was a notable English architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath, including the iconic Royal Crescent and the Pump Room.

Another notable figure with the surname Tyndall was James Tyndall (1755-1838), an English physician and geologist who made significant contributions to the study of rock formations and fossils in the early 19th century.

The surname Tyndall has a rich history rooted in England, with its origins likely stemming from a place name related to an enclosed settlement or valley. Over the centuries, individuals with this surname have made notable contributions across various fields, including religion, science, architecture, and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tyndall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tyndall 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. Gloucestershire leads with 63 Tyndalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.44x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 63 13.44x
Middlesex 52 2.18x
Lancashire 20 0.71x
Cumberland 18 8.75x
Surrey 18 1.55x
Angus 14 6.32x
Staffordshire 9 1.12x
Worcestershire 9 2.88x
Yorkshire 8 0.34x
Essex 7 1.48x
Leicestershire 6 2.26x
Lanarkshire 4 0.52x
Devon 3 0.60x
Kent 2 0.25x
Lincolnshire 2 0.52x
Midlothian 2 0.62x
Warwickshire 2 0.33x
Denbighshire 1 1.11x
Fife 1 0.71x
Glamorgan 1 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.31x
Somerset 1 0.26x
Wiltshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 17 Tyndalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.80x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 17 12.80x
Westbury On Severn East 15 141.51x
Dundee 13 15.73x
Slimbridge 12 1714.29x
St Giles In Fields 9 109.22x
St Pancras London 8 4.16x
Tetbury 8 300.75x
Withington 7 76.67x
Aspatria 6 303.03x
Brightside Bierlow 6 12.92x
Cleator 6 70.09x
Minchinhampton 6 160.86x
Southwark St Saviour 6 48.86x
St Andrew Holborn 6 74.07x
Wandsworth 6 26.09x
Westbury On Trym 6 37.78x
Keele 5 581.40x
Kings Norton 5 17.87x
Low Holme 5 431.03x
Wotton Under Edge 5 181.16x
Gaddesby 4 2000.00x
Govan 4 2.09x
Heaton Norris 4 24.78x
West Ham 4 3.84x
Barrow In Furness 3 7.78x
Claines 3 35.05x
Lambeth 3 1.44x
Leek Lowe 3 27.96x
Leyton 3 36.90x
Littleham 3 82.42x
Mangotsfield 3 64.24x
St George Hanover 3 9.62x
Edgbaston 2 10.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.55x
Flaxley 2 190.48x
Little Woolton 2 243.90x
Melton Mowbray 2 42.02x
Moss Side 2 13.40x
North Nibley 2 298.51x
Reigate Foreign 2 15.86x
St George Martyr 2 49.63x
Upton St Leonards 2 168.07x
Walesby 2 769.23x
Accrington 1 3.88x
Bedminster 1 2.77x
Bradford 1 1.74x
Burntisland 1 25.25x
Camberwell 1 0.66x
Clifton 1 4.22x
Cranbrook 1 28.99x
Devizes St James 1 35.59x
Eastchurch 1 125.00x
Forfar 1 8.34x
Frankley 1 833.33x
Gresford Llay 1 222.22x
Hackney London 1 0.75x
Hampstead London 1 2.69x
Liverpool 1 0.58x
Llandough Near 1 1000.00x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.65x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 7.01x
Paddington London 1 1.14x
Rockcliff 1 156.25x
St George Bloomsbury 1 7.29x
St Marylebone London 1 0.78x
Stroud 1 10.96x
Sutton In Ashfield 1 14.31x
Twickenham 1 9.76x
York Holy Trinity 1 48.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 9
Annie 7
Alice 4
Jane 4
Margaret 4
Emily 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Maria 2
Anna 1
Augustus 1
Carolin 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Clarissa 1
Dianah 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Lena 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Pricilla 1
Rebecca 1
Rossetta 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Sophy 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 12
Charles 8
Thomas 7
Edward 5
Henry 5
Alfred 3
George 3
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Ebenezer 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Thos. 2
Timothy 2
(Professor) 1
Acquila 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Bertram 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Minah 1
Robert 1
Sarah 1
Sidney 1
Theodore 1
Will 1

FAQ

Tyndall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tyndall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 245 people were recorded with the Tyndall surname. That placed it at #11,232 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tyndall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016. That gives Tyndall a modern rank of #11,504.

What does the Tyndall surname mean?

From the Old English for "someone who lived in a valley frequented by martens," a weasel-like animal.

What does the Tyndall map show?

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