Find out how popular the last name Tollett is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Tollett.

Tollett, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Tollett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tollett in America

Tollett is the 17559th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tollett surname appeared 1,602 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tollett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tollett to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Tollett

The surname Tollett is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "toll," meaning "tax" or "toll," combined with the diminutive suffix "-et." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person responsible for collecting tolls or taxes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tolet." This important survey, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable information about landowners and tenants in England after the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th century, the name evolved into various spellings, such as "Tollet" and "Tollette," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. Some records from this period indicate that the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset in the southwest of England.

Notable individuals bearing the Tollett surname include John Tollett (c. 1500-1566), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury during the reign of Queen Mary I. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Tollett (1608-1672), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as the Sheriff of London in 1661.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition with the birth of George Tollett (1725-1779), a renowned English writer and satirist. He is best known for his works "The Life of the Rev. George Whitefield" and "A View of the Renaissance in Italy."

Moving into the 19th century, we find Elizabeth Tollet (1804-1890), an English novelist and playwright. Her most famous work, "The Gordian Knot," was published in 1866 and received critical acclaim.

Another noteworthy individual was Sir Benjamin Tollett (1818-1902), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Crimean War. He rose to the rank of Vice Admiral and was knighted for his distinguished service.

Throughout its history, the Tollett surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, with some branches eventually spreading to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. While the name's origins may have been rooted in occupational or locational meanings, it has evolved to become a distinct and recognizable part of English surname heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tollett

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Tollett.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Tollett was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Tollett has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Tollett was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tollett, please contact us.

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