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Tonge Family History

Tonge Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name primarily from Tonge (Lancashire) but also from other places similarly named including Tong (Yorkshire), Tonge (Kent), Tong in Headcorn (Kent), Tonge (Leicestershire), and Tong (Shropshire). Some of these places appear to be named from Middle English tong(e) ‘tongue’ (Old English tunge) and the surname may occasionally be topographic for someone who lived on a tongue-like projection of land; others are ultimately from Old English t(w)ang(e) ‘tongs fork (of a river)’.

German: from a short form of the personal name Anton (see Anthony).

English: nickname from Middle English tonge ‘tongs forceps’ (Old English tang(e)) for someone who made or used tongs or forceps or alternatively from Middle English tong(e) ‘tongue’ (Old English tunge) perhaps for a chatterer or scold.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Tonge family from?

You can see how Tonge families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tonge family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tonge families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,135 Tonge families living in Lancashire. This was about 66% of all the recorded Tonge's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Tonge families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tonge surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Tonge ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tonge. 10% of Tonge men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Tonge women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tonge were Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Tonge | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Railway Clerk
    5%
  • Colliery Hewer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Tonge family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Tonge. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tonge census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tonge

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Tonge. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tonge immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Tonge. For the veterans among your Tonge ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tonge military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tonge family history

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What is the average Tonge lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Tonge life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Tonge in 1952 was 33, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tonge

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tonge ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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