Surname Tolly - Meaning and Origin

Tolly: What does the surname Tolly mean?

The surname Tolly is of English origin and is believed to have derived from a personal name, either the Old English name "Tol(l)" or the Old Norse "Þóli." It is also speculated that Tolly could be a variant of the English surname Tolley or Tollys, which is, in turn, a variant of Tollhurst, a habitational name for someone from Tollehurst in England. In England, it was first found in Cambridgeshire, where a family by this name has held a family seat since ancient times. Nonetheless, the exact meaning of the surname Tolly remains somewhat obscure, mainly because of its multiple potential derivations. It's important to note that the meanings of many surnames have been diluted or changed over centuries due to linguistic evolution and migration.

Tolly: Where does the name Tolly come from?

The last name Tolly is a patronymic surname that originated from France and migrated to Europe in the Middle Ages. Today, it is most common in Germany, where it is a variation of the surname Toll. It is also common in the United States, specifically in Ohio and Texas. The U.S. Census in 2010 showed that the name Tolly ranked 10,554th in the top surnames in America.

The last name Tolly is believed to have been derived from a Germanic language, specifically the word "Tolle" which means bold or brave, or from the word "Töll" which means fen or marsh. These descriptions could also explain why variants of the last name, such as "Töly" and "Tälly" are also common. It was later changed to "Tolly" by English-speaking individuals when they immigrated from Europe.

In Germany, Tolly is a relatively common surname, especially in Northern Germany. In fact, one of the earliest mentions of the last name Tolly was in the year 1719 in Saxony, Germany. Over the years, the last name has also spread to other parts of the world, particularly the United States.

Overall, the last name Tolly is most common in Germany, the United States, and other European countries. Variants of the Tolly surname are also quite common, including Töly, Tälly, and Tolle. The main source of the last name is believed to be Germanic and derived from the words "Tolle" and "Töll," which mean brave and marsh, respectively.

Variations of the surname Tolly

The surname Tolly can take several forms depending on the language and country of origin. In Latin-derived languages, it is spelt as “Tolly” while in Slavic languages such as Czech and Slovak, the spelling is usually “Tolley”. In German, the spelling is typically “Tölle” while other variations such as “Tölly” and “Tolli” are also sometimes seen. In French, the surname is usually spelt as “Tolle” or “Tole” while in Dutch, it is usually written as “Tol”.

In Chinese, the surname is commonly spelt as “Tou Li” or “Tou Lei” while in Arabic it is usually spelt as “Toli”. In Italian, the surname is usually written as “Tolle” and in Spanish, “Tolle” or “Tolli” are common variations.

The surname Tolly may also have several alternate spellings, including “Toledano”, “Toledo”, “Toledo-Gutierrez”, “Tolius”, “Tolly-Mack”, “Tolitsky”, “Tolman”, “Tolnay”, “Toloczko”, “Tolosa”, “Tolosky”, and “Tolstoi”.

The surname may also appear with different surnames in different countries. In Italy, it is commonly associated with “Tolsi” or “Tolsi”, while in Poland, it is usually associated with “Tolik”. In France, it is often seen as “Tolede” or “Toledon”, while in Germany, it is often seen as “Tolleg”. It may also be seen as “Tolev” in Russia, “Tolish” in Lithuania, “Tolej” in Czech Republic and “Tolika” in Hungary.

Famous people with the name Tolly

• Tolly Thommerson: Canadian actor and producer
• Meena Tolly: Indian actress, singer, and model
• Sarah Tolly: American actress and playwright
• Jesse Tolly: American photographer
• Timothy Tolly: British actor
• Jeev Milkha Singh: Indian professional golfer and former international cricketer
• Andreas Tolly: German businessman
• Richard Tolly: English actor
• Sophie Tolly-Rees: Welsh-born actress
• John Tolly: British football manager
• Tony Tolly: American musician
• John Tolly: English naturalist
• Aaron Tolly: Irish actor
• William Tolly: Scottish potter and businessman
• David Tolly: American philanthropist
• Angelo Tolly: Italian-Mexican composer
• Stephen Tolly: American television producer and director
• Peggy Tolly: American politician and educator
• Maurice Tolly: French tenor
• Conrad Tolly: American football player
• Victor Tolly: Canadian musician
• Adam Tolly: British army officer and landowner
• Clinton Tolly: American baseball player

Other surnames

TollTolleTollemacheTollerTollerisTollertonTolleyTollinTollinghostTollivarTolliverTollkemittTollmanTollmienTollmonTollsdorf