Surname Toll - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'T'
Toll: What does the surname Toll mean?
The surname Toll is of Anglo-Saxon origin from the Old English pre 7th Century term "tol" or "toll", meaning tax or payment. It was originally given as an occupational name to a toll collector, someone who collected payments on highways or bridges. The name Toll could also be a topographic name for someone who resided near a toll booth or bar, such as at the outskirts of a city or town where tolls were customarily collected. Alternatively, the name could be locational, derived from places named with the word "toll". It has been seen in English records since at least the 13th century and has multiple spelling variations like Toal, Tole, Tools, Tooley, Toll, among others. Just like other surnames developed from an occupation, the distribution of Toll surname is widespread, transcending familial connections, as the job of toll collector was likely required in various locations.
Order DNA origin analysisToll: Where does the name Toll come from?
The last name Toll is most commonly found today in countries of Northern Europe. It is associated with different areas in Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, and Norway.
In Germany, the Toll surname is found most commonly in the northern part of the country, and it is believed that the surname originated as a topographic name for someone living at the top of a hill. There is also evidence that the Toll surname dates back to as early as the 12th century, when it was an occupational name for an official in the livestock or transport trade.
In Sweden, records indicate that the Toll surname was used as a hereditary farm name, which is a type of surname adopted in the 16th or 17th century by people who wanted to name themselves after the farm they lived on.
In Estonia, the Toll surname is found mostly in the southeastern part of the country. The records suggest that the surname may have originated in what is now known as Estonia in the 1500s, when an Estonian surname was borrowed from neighbouring Finland, and it's believed that this surname was likely the Toll surname.
In Lithuania, the Toll surname is found mostly in the northeastern part of the country, and it is likely that the surname came to Lithuania from Germany or Sweden.
Finally, in Norway, the Toll surname is found mostly in the northern and western parts of the country, and records suggest that the Toll surname arrived in Norway in the 1600s, likely from Sweden.
So, while the last name Toll may not be as widely distributed as many other last names, it is still relatively common today in certain parts of Northern Europe.
Variations of the surname Toll
The surname Toll is believed to have originated in multiple countries, including England, Ireland, Wales, Scandinavia, and Germany. It can have multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
In England, Toll is commonly found as Toler, Toller, and Tole. The earliest form of the name Toler dates back to the 13th-century when it was found in documents relating to the County of Norfolk. The other spelling variations, Toller and Tole can be found in the Oxfordshire region of England.
In Ireland, Toll is sometimes found as Tolman and Tully. The surname Tolman was first found in counties Cork and Sligo, while the Tully surname is most commonly found in Down and Antrim.
In Wales, Toll is sometimes found as Tolley, Tull, and Tously. These spellings originated in Wales in the 1500s and 1600s.
In Scandinavia, Toll is sometimes found as Teller, Toller, Tellen, and Tellin. These surnames can be found in records dating back to the beginning of the 1700s.
In Germany, Toll is sometimes found as Toelle and Tohle. These spellings can be found in records dating back to the middle ages. It is also commonly found as the East Prussian surname Toller.
Overall, the surname Toll has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Depending on the country of origin, these spellings range from Tolman and Tously to Teller and Toelle.
Famous people with the name Toll
- William Toll: Former North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice
- Friedrich Wilhelm Toll: 19th century German army lieutenant
- Lydia Toll: DC Comics character who dates Dick Grayson in the 1980s
- Solomon Toll: American college basketball player
- Rebecca Toll: American Paralympic swimmer
- Alicja Tolls: German-Polish jurist and politician
- Robert Toll: PC Format magazine editor
- Trinity Toll: American mixed martial artist
- Francesca Toll: Italian Female Volleyball Player
- Libby Toll: Inventor of the children’s toy “Una”
- Jacob Toll: 18th century French naturalist
- Stephen Toll: Former ATP Tennis Player
- Julius Toll: Pre-WWII Lithuanian Jewish Rabbi
- Naida J. Toll: American politician
- Neria Toll: Dutch film director
- Christopher Toll: British F1 racing driver
- Jason Toll: American professional golfer
- Mark Toll: American Major League Baseball (MLB) player
- Erwin Toll: German entrepreneur and politician
- Thurstina Toll: English actress and singer