Show ContentsToone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Toone is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the Old English "tun," which originally meant "fence" or "enclosure," but soon came to mean "enclosure round a house," "homestead," "village," or "town." The name was originally preceded by a preposition, and referred to "one who lived in or at the village or town."

Early Origins of the Toone family

The surname Toone was first found in Suffolk. The written history of the name dates back as far as 1095, when Wistric Oftun was recorded in the records of the abbey at Bury St. Edmunds. Variations on the surname, such as Abothetoune, atte Tun, and Douninthetune, could also be found in this region at an early date.

Early History of the Toone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Toone research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1095, 1275, 1327, 1524, 1583, 1621, 1640, 1650, 1692, 1739 and 1816 are included under the topic Early Toone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Toone Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Town, Tune, Toune, Towne, Townes, Towns, Tone, Toon and many more.

Early Notables of the Toone family

Notables of the family at this time include John Towne (c.1583), a British actor, Robert Towne (c.1650), a religious writer, and Francis Towne (1739-1816), a well-known British watercolor painter of landscapes. Rebecca Towne Nurse (or Nourse) (1621-1692) (née Towne)...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Toone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Toone Ranking

In the United States, the name Toone is the 15,966th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


Australia Toone migration to Australia +

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

Toone Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Toone, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Fortune" [2]

New Zealand Toone 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:

Toone Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Selina Toone, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874 [3]
  • Miss Selina Toone, (b. 1854), aged 20, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Toone (post 1700) +

  • Bernard Arthur Toone (1956-2022), American NBA basketball player who played 23 games for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1979–80 season
  • Eric J Toone, American physical organic chemist working at Duke University in South Carolina
  • Geoffrey Toone (1910-2005), Irish-born English character actor


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. South Australian Register Thursday 8th June 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Fortune 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/fortune1854.shtml
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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