This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Tongs family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Tongs Family History

Tongs Surname Meaning

A variant of Tonge with plural or post-medieval excrescent -s. Some place-names in Tonge (1) are recorded in the medieval period with -s spellings; for example, Tonge (Kent) as Tonges in 125.

Alternatively, some medieval bearers may reflect the plural form of Middle English tonge ‘tongs, forceps’: see Tonge (2).

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Tongs family from?

You can see how Tongs families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tongs family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Tongs families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 33 Tongs families living in Hampshire. This was about 80% of all the recorded Tongs's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Tongs families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tongs surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Tongs ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tongs. 43% of Tongs men worked as an Incapacitated and 100% of Tongs women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Tongs | 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

  • Incapacitated
    43%
  • Basket Maker
    29%
  • Stevedore Quayside
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Tongs family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Tongs. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tongs census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tongs

Passenger Lists

There are 272 immigration records available for the last name Tongs. 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 Tongs immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 169 military records available for the last name Tongs. For the veterans among your Tongs ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tongs military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tongs family history

Discover More

What is the average Tongs lifespan?

Between 2003 and 2004, in the United States, Tongs life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Tongs in 2003 was 70, and 37 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tongs 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tongs family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial