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Tough Family History

Tough Surname Meaning

Scottish (eastern): variant of Tulloch. In Scotland it is pronounced tyookh.

English: nickname from Middle English to(u)gh(e) tow(e) ‘strong vigorous stubborn’ (Old English tōh).

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Tough family from?

You can see how Tough families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tough family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tough families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 50 Tough families living in Durham. This was about 21% of all the recorded Tough's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Tough families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tough 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 Tough ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Painter decorator and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tough. 34% of Tough men worked as a Painter decorator and 75% of Tough women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tough were Ships Steward and Housemaid.

View Census Data for Tough | 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

  • Painter decorator
    34%
  • Gardener
    34%
  • Ships Steward
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Housemaid
    3%

What Tough family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 20,000 census records available for the last name Tough. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tough census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tough

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Tough. 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 Tough immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Tough. For the veterans among your Tough ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tough military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tough family history

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What is the average Tough lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2003, in the United States, Tough life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Tough in 1957 was 46, and 70 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tough

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tough 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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