The O'Toole surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 10,842 people carried this name — #3,309 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 27,200 people counted. That is up 2% from 10,663 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the O'Toole surname

As a surname in the United Kingdom

Harrison classes it as a Celtic name: ‘Descendant of Tuathal, i.e. the Left-Handed’.

From the Irish O'Tuathail.

From Henry Harrison, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary, vol. II (London: The Morland Press, 1918), p. 54 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 39 births for the O’Toole name in 1890.

Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 3 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Dublin, Wicklow, and Limerick.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 26
Munster 7
Ulster 6

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In print

O'Toole in American newspapers,
1904–1930.

Newspaper page from The Morning Astorian carrying the name O'Toole
The Morning Astorian 1904-06-21
Newspaper page from The Producers News carrying the name O'Toole
The Producers News 1930-05-02
Newspaper page from The Southern Herald carrying the name O'Toole
The Southern Herald 1916-10-13

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 56,584 pages in all carry the name.

In print

O'Toole in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

24,918 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss O'Toole. The most, 5,460, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 8,164
Victoria 6,762
Queensland 4,643
Tasmania 2,150
Western Australia 1,472
South Australia 1,421
ACT (Canberra) 207
Northern Territory 72

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss O'Toole.

Who carried it

People named O'Toole,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Peter O'Toole
    Peter O'Toole 1932–2013 · film director

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0.

In the public record

People named O'Toole,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,487 records

2,487 records of the O'Toole name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,068
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 456
  • Other U.S. records 963
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Richard J. O'Toole

    Born 1915 in New Jersey. Enlisted 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; longshoreman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1992, buried at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Pennsylvania.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Patrick O'Toole

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 28; laborer. From Mayo, Ireland; bound for Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record George Patrick O'Toole

    Born 1943; from Mankato, Minnesota. U.S. Army, infantry unit commander; killed in action 1967 in Dinh Tuong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 2,487 records for O'Toole in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia807 records

807 records of the O'Toole name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 248
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 226
  • Other Australian records 333
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Robert O'Toole

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Lyndoch, sailing from London in 1840. Native of Truro, Cornwall.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos O'Toole

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the Florine, aged 29; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Patrick O'Toole

    NSW railway employee; served in the First World War with the First Railway Section (AIF).

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 807 records for O'Toole in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Canada343 records

343 records of the O'Toole name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 318
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 7
  • Other Canadian records 18
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William O'Toole

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 55; buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Peter O'Toole

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Nova Scotian, bound for Arthur, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Thomas Vincent O'Toole

    Died in service in 1943.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 343 records for O'Toole in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Ireland72 records

72 records of the O'Toole name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Henry O'Toole

    Died 1859, aged 63; buried at Kilcummin, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Tomas O'Toole

    Died 1995, aged 62; buried at Killursa, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Martin O Toole

    Died 1979, aged 64; buried at Dunmore, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 72 records for O'Toole in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the O'Toole name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. O'Toole

    Gunner, Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. L. O'Toole

    King's (Liverpool Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 2 of 10 records for O'Toole in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand8 records

8 records of the O'Toole name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Amelia Ann O'Toole

    Died 1988, aged 90; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John O'Toole

    Buried in 1905 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 57.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget O'Toole

    Died 1953, aged 76; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 8 records for O'Toole in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France5 records

5 records of the O'Toole name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Kathleen O'Toole

    Born 1929 in Ireland; died 1994 in Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William Owen O'Toole

    Born 1953 in the United Kingdom; died 1992 in Houilles (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jacqueline Marie Julia O'Toole

    Born 1908 in Saint-Martin-Terressus (Haute-Vienne); died 1996 in Reboursin (Indre).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 5 records for O'Toole in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to O'Toole.

When the index is not enough

This page says where O'Toole is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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