The Tolman surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,480 people carried this name — #7,434 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 65,800 people counted. That is up 18% from 3,799 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Tolman surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘the tollman’ — the first of the origins he gives.

His entry covers Toleman, Tollman and Tolman.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 755 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 31 people named Tolman.

6 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 7 départements, most often Nord.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 6
Nord 11
Yvelines 7
Bouches-du-Rhône 2
Paris 2
Marne 1
Seine-Maritime 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

59 families named Tolman, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 326 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 34
Maine 7
New Hampshire 5
New York 5
Rhode Island 3
North Carolina 3
Vermont 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 265 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Tolman in American newspapers,
1912–1917.

Newspaper page from The Mellette County Pioneer carrying the name Tolman
The Mellette County Pioneer 1912-10-25
Newspaper page from Baptist Courier carrying the name Tolman
Baptist Courier 1917-11-01
Newspaper page from Delaware City Press carrying the name Tolman
Delaware City Press 1913-02-28

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 78,121 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Tolman in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1970s.

1,734 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Tolman. The most, 374, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Tasmania, at 6.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Tasmania 760
Queensland 374
New South Wales 328
Victoria 140
Western Australia 60
South Australia 50
ACT (Canberra) 1

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

Who carried it

People named Tolman,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Susan Tolman Mills
    Susan Tolman Mills 1826–1912 · missionary
  • William Howe Tolman
    William Howe Tolman 1861– · writer
  • Warren W. Tolman
    Warren W. Tolman 1861–1940 · politician
  • James E. Tolman
    James E. Tolman 1867–1956 · lawyer
  • Břetislav Tolman
    Břetislav Tolman 1873–1937 · university teacher
  • Moody C. Tolman 1824–1873 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Tolman,
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 States225 records

225 records of the Tolman name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 104
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 36
  • Other U.S. records 85
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Harry A. Tolman

    Born 1920 in New Hampshire. Enlisted 1940 at Keene; sawmill worker from Cheshire County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Monadnock View Cemetery, Keene, New Hampshire.

    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 Julia R. Tolman

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of Rome from Glasgow and Moville, aged 26; tourist. From Glasgow; bound for Chicago.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record Melvin Frank Tolman

    U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War. Born 1932, died 1996; buried at Lindenwood Cemetery, Stoneham, Massachusetts.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 225 records for Tolman in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index. 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); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Netherlands1,261 records

1,261 records of the Tolman name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 722
  • Dutch population registers 511
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 28
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Arie Jacobus Tolman

    Married in 1927 in Amsterdam; furniture maker. Died 1973 in Doorn, aged 72.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Cornelis Hermanus Tolman

    Married in 1921 in Velsen; carpenter. Died 1959 in Velsen, aged 65.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Roelof Johannes Tolman

    Married in 1941 in Zuidwolde; farmer. Died 1975 in Zuidwolde, aged 61.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,261 records for Tolman in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Australia166 records

166 records of the Tolman name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 113
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 44
  • Other Australian records 9
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John Gibbs Tolman

    Married 1875 in Clarence, Tasmania, aged 39. Died 1906 in Tasmania, aged 70.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Frederick Tolman

    Born 1878 in Hobart, Tasmania. Died 1918 in Tasmania, aged 39. Will registered in Tasmania in 1918.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. 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 Mary Tolman

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Kains, arriving 1831; ticket of leave 1842.

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

Showing 3 of 166 records for Tolman in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

France13 records

13 records of the Tolman 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 Louise Josephine Tolman

    Born 1899 in Marseille; died 1981 in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jacques Nicolas Tolman

    Born 1907 in Paris; died 1999 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Michele Haya Tolman

    Born 1937 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine); died 1991 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Tolman 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).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Tolman name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 4
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Tolman

    Buried in 1837 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 35.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. H. Tolman

    Sapper, Royal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Tolman

    Buried in 1849 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 69.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 7 records for Tolman in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada3 records

3 records of the Tolman name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 2
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Carl Tolman

    Buried in 1961 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Oliver Tolman

    Buried in 1983 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Beatrice Tolman

    Died 1991; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Tolman name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Arthur Tolman

    From Berlin. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 21 September 1915 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 24).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Tolman.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Tolman 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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