Tolling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The Tolling family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Tolling is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Tolling was given to someone who lived in Bavarian towns, such as Doelling, Dolling, Dölling, or Dollingen. This surname is derived from the Old German word dolle, which means grave or valley. The first Bavarian towns named Doelling were, thus, situated in a valley. After the 16th century, a period of widespread European migration, the Tolling name spread into neighboring regions as members searched for occupations in religious, military, or political service. As a result, numerous different branches of the family name emerged.

Early Origins of the Tolling family

The surname Tolling was first found in Bavaria, where the family was an integral part of the feudal society which would shape modern European history. Many prominent branches of the family would strive to make this name renowned as they contributed to the social, economic and political affairs of the region. Individual bearers of the name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Henne Dolling, who was in Frankfurt in 1387, Friedrich Tollinger, who was in the Upper Pfalz in 1413, and Hannus Tollig, who was in Braunau, Bohemia in 1450.

Early History of the Tolling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tolling research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1503, 1799 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Tolling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tolling Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Tolling include Doellinger, Doelinger, Dollinger, Dolinger, Doelling, Doeling, Dolling, Tollinger, Tolinger, Dollingen, Doling, Tolling, Toling and many more.

Early Notables of the Tolling family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tolling Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tolling migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Tolling Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Tolling, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 1

Citations +

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)