Surname Toinbee - Meaning and Origin

Toinbee: What does the surname Toinbee mean?

The last name Toinbee is of English origin. It is derived from the Old English words "tūn" meaning "enclosure or settlement" and "beorg" meaning "hill". The combined meaning is therefore "enclosed settlement or village on a hill." This indicates that the ancestral family likely lived on or near a hill, or perhaps moved from one settlement to another and built a new settlement on a hill.

The surname Toinbee is thought to have originated in the south of England in the 13th century, although the family may have derived from a previous generation somewhere in the north. Toinbee families were early developers of rural life and agriculture. They were likely involved in the tilling and harvesting of grain, as well as being farmers and merchants.

The Toinbee family may have been well established prior to the arrival of the Norman Conquest in 1066. During the middle centuries of the second millennium, Toinbee families moved around the United Kingdom and its surrounding areas. Records of the family members can be found in some British county and parish records dating back to the 16th century.

The earliest known record of the family is in the form of a document from the 16th century listing the baptism of a John Toinbee, which is believed to be the progenitor of the modern Toinbee surname.

Today, the Toinbee family continues to populate most parts of the United Kingdom, as well as in some countries of the former British Empire, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Toinbee: Where does the name Toinbee come from?

The last name Toinbee is not a common one today. It is an English name with French roots, derived from the surname 'Touin' which comes from the Old French verb 'toiner', meaning 'to cut'.

The name Toinbee can still be found in many parts of England and Ireland today, mostly in the North West. In Lancashire, the name is especially common, but it can also be found in the Yorkshire region and Ireland.

Within England, there are many places with the name Toinbee, including a road in Chorley, a place in Thornaby and a hamlet in Holmfirth.

The name Toinbee also appears in the U.S. and Canada, but is much less common than it is in England. Records of the first Toinbee in the US date back to the late-19th century, when a John Toinbee moved to Antigo, Wisconsin from Lancashire, England.

Today, the Toinbee name is still quite unique. According to Ancestry.com, fewer than 350 people in the US still carry the last name and it is an even more uncommon name in other countries around the world. This is a sharp contrast to other names which have gone on to define a nation, such as Jones, Williams and Smith.

Overall, the Toinbee name is still present in many parts of the world today, but is much less common than it once was. Despite not being a particularly common name, it still has a rich history with origins in England, and remains an interesting part of many family's stories.

Variations of the surname Toinbee

The surname Toinbee can come from many different origins and have many different variants, spellings and surnames. First, it can be a variation of the surname Toonbee, which can be an English surname derived from the Middle English word “tone,” meaning “tone” or “tone of voice.” It is also a variation of the surname Toombes, which is derived from the Old English word “tun-ba,” meaning “tone of a bell.” Additionally, Toinbee can be a variation of the surname Tompkins, which can be an English surname derived from the Old English word “tum,” meaning “enclosure,” or “homestead,” and is usually found in the north of England.

Variants and spellings of Toinbee can include Tinbee, Toombe, Tonnbee, Toombes, Tompkins, Tommbee and Tonnebee. Other surnames of similar origin can include Tombs, Tomblin, Tomkinson, Toms, Tonks, Tompkin, Tompkyn and Tompsett.

The surname Toinbee can be found in England, Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom. It is also found in other countries, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Famous people with the name Toinbee

• Arnold J. Toynbee: (1889-1975) He was a British historian who wrote influential works such as "A Study of History" and "Man's Rise to Civilization."
• Jocelyn Toynbee: (1911-2013) She was an archaeological historian who authored several works on Byzantine art and culture, and maintained a life-long passion for classical studies.
• Polly Toynbee: (Born 1946) She is a British journalist and political writer who is particularly known for her political columns for The Guardian newspaper.
• Barbara Toynbee: (Born 1951) She is a British venture capitalist and philanthropic campaigner, and the founder of Count Me In, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping women in business.
• Lawrence Toynbee: (1907-2003) He was a British diplomat and author who served in several postings for the British Foreign Office in Europe, Asia and North America.
• Arthur Toynbee: (1907-1995) He was a British physicist who worked on radar during World War II and later served as a professor of physics at Queen Mary University of London.
• Alison Toynbee: (Born 1976) She is an English political historian, who is particularly known for her works on the British Labour Party.
• Marshall Toynbee: (1925-1992) He was an American theologian and theologian historian who wrote books on the history of Christian thought and the development of Christianity.

Other surnames

Toinby