Towles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The Towles surname is a patronymic created from the Old English name Toll, "a pet form of Bartholomew (son of Talmai, furrow); dweller, or collector, at a tollhouse." 1

Early Origins of the Towles family

The surname Towles was first found in Lancashire where the Lancashire Wills at Richmond listed John Towlyngson, of the parish of Mellyinge (no date); Richard Towlson, or Tounsoun, of Dalton, 1587; George Toulson, of Poulton, 1672; and George Towlnson, of Pilling, 1673. 2 Further to the south, John Tulesan was Lord Mayor of London in 1252.

Early History of the Towles family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Towles research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1290, 1590, 1622, 1630, 1646, 1648, 1650, 1660, 1667 and 1689 are included under the topic Early Towles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Towles Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tolson, Tollson, Tolsen and others.

Early Notables of the Towles family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Towles Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Towles Ranking

In the United States, the name Towles is the 12,123^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Towles migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Towles Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Caroline M. Towles, aged 30, who settled in America, in 1908
Alice Sharp Towles, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from Mapperley, England, in 1910
Oliver Towles, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1912
Rosamond Towles, aged 30, who immigrated to America from Bradford, England, in 1912
Edwin Wesley Howard Towles, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Towles (post 1700) +

Nat Towles (1905-1963), American musician, jazz and big band leader
Tom Towles (1950-2015), American actor, known for his roles in Night of the Living Dead (1990), The Devil's Rejects (2005) and Halloween (2007)

The Towles Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ferro comite
Motto Translation: My sword my companion.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/