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Toft History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Toft History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Toft is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in the parish of Toft in the county of Norfolk. This place-name was originally derived from the Old Norman word Topt which was used to denote those who lived in the trees or forest. 1

Toft is also "a township in the parish of Knutsford, Cheshire and is the parent of the Cheshire Tofts." 2

The Domesday Book of 1086 has a variety of spellings for the various parishes: Toft, Cambridgeshire, Tofth; Toft Minks, Norfolk, Toft; and West Tofts, Norfolk, Toftes. 3

"The name of Tofts is now best represented in the district of Bishop's Stortford [Hertfordshire]. Tofts is a Norfolk parish, and De Toftes was a Norfolk surname in the 13th century (H. R.). Two parishes in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire are called Toft." 4

Early Origins of the Toft family

The surname Toft was first found in Northumberland where Elyas del Toft was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1197. 5 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the widespread use of the name at that time: Gundreda de Toftes, Norfolk; Eborard de Toft, Norfolk; Alan de Toft, Cambridgeshire; and Robert de Toft, Bedfordshire. 2

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included an entry for Johannes Attn toftes et uxor and later, Hugh de Toft was recorded in East Cheshire in 1394. 2 The Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk included a listing of Gilbert de Toftes in 1327. John de Taft was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1340. 5

By the 12th century they had moved north and acquired the old lands and barony which they called Tofts in the parish of Kirkton in Roxburghshire, Scotland. Ingram de Toftes, Robert de Toftes, and William de Toftes all rendered homage in 1296 to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland. William of Toftys was Rector of the church at Great Cauerys (Cavers) in 1363. 6

Early History of the Toft family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Toft research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1499, 1580, 1605, 1620, 1637, 1640, 1641, 1669, 1675, 1680, 1689, 1698, 1708, 1725, 1750 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Toft History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Toft Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Toft has been spelled many different ways, including Taft, Tafte, Toft, Tofte, Tofts, Tuffs and others.

Early Notables of the Toft family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Robert Toft (d. 1620), English poet and translator, a 'gentleman' who travelled in France and Italy
Katherine Tofts (1680?-1758?), was an English vocalist, said to be connected with the family of Bishop Burnet. 7
Thomas Toft (died 1698), was an English potter working in the Staffordshire Potteries, eponym of the Toft Style, his work can still be seen in various museums in the United Kingdom

Toft migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Tofts to arrive in North America:

Toft Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

An Toft, who landed in Virginia in 1665-1666 8
Ann Toft, who arrived in Virginia in 1665 8

Toft Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Toft, who settled in New England in 1753

Toft Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Toft, who settled in Philadelphia in 1841

Toft migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Toft Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Toft, (Shufflebotham), English convict who was convicted in Knutsford (Nether Knutsford), Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 9
William Toft, aged 27, a mason, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Northern Light" 10

Toft migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Toft Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William J. Toft, aged 32, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
Elizabeth H. Toft, aged 28, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
Annie E. Toft, aged 9, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
Walter Toft, aged 7, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
Marion Toft, aged 5, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Golden Sea" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Toft (post 1700) +

Omar Toft (1886-1921), American Indy 500 racecar driver
Thomas Toft (d. 1698), English potter
Mr. Robert Toft, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1494 to 1495
Henrik Toft (b. 1981), Danish professional footballer
David Claude Toft (1922-1981), Irish politician and Mayor of Galway (1981)
Arve Toft (b. 1966), Norwegian trade unionist
Albert Toft (1862-1949), British sculptor who trained in Wedgwood's pottery

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
South Australian Register Monday 9th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Norther Light 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/northernlight1855.shtml