Show ContentsTooze History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tooze family

The surname Tooze was first found in Devon, where the name was a trade or occupational name for "a comber or carder of wool." 1 2

Early Sussex records show John le Tosere as holding lands in 1249. A few years later, William le Thosers was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1280 and later, John Tosere was recorded in Devon in 1333. William le Tesere was found in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1275. "The Tozers have been established in Ashburton, [Devon] for more than two centuries. Moses Tozer was an Ashburton tradesman 200 years ago: a family of the name lived there last century, and the name is still to be found there. Henry Tozar, native of North Tawton, was an eminent 17th century divine." 3

Up in Yorkshire, Johannes Tesur was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 and John Toser was listed in the Norfolk Valor Ecclesiasticus, but no date was given. 4

Early History of the Tooze family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tooze research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1141, 1385, 1445, 1510, 1559, 1600, 1602, 1605, 1650, 1748, 1788, 1801, 1805, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1812 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Tooze History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tooze Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tose, Towse, Toase, Tows, Towze, Towz, Toaze, Touse and many more.

Early Notables of the Tooze family

Distinguished members of the family include Henry Tozer (1602-1650), an English Puritan clergyman and academic from North Tawton, Devon. He was elected to the Westminster Assembly but never sat there.Aaron Tozer (1788-1854), English captain in the navy, born in 1788, entered the navy in June 1801 on board the Phœbe, with Captain Thomas Baker, on the Irish station. He afterwards served in the East Indies and on the home station, and, again with Baker, in the Phœnix, in which on 10 Aug. 1805 he was present at the capture of the French frigate Didon (James, Naval History, iv. 66-74; Troude, Batailles...
Another 128 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tooze Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Australia Tooze migration to Australia +

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

Tooze Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Tooze, English convict who was convicted in Bridgewater, Somerset, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Burrell" on 22nd July 1830, arriving in New South Wales 5
  • Mr. William Tooze, English convict who was convicted in Bridgewater, Somerset, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Burrell" on 22nd July 1830, arriving in New South Wales 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Tooze (post 1700) +

  • Walter L. Tooze, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oregon, 1960 6
  • Walter L. Tooze (d. 1956), American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Oregon 3rd District, 1938; Justice of Oregon State Supreme Court, 1950-56 6
  • Otis A. Tooze, American Republican politician, Supervisor of Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, 1942-49; Defeated, 1940, 1941, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1955 6
  • Leslie Tooze, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oregon, 1952 6
  • Lamar Tooze, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oregon, 1948, 1952 6

Senghenydd colliery
  • Mr. Francis Tooze (b. 1873), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  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)
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/burrell
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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