Surname Torkington - Meaning and Origin
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Torkington: What does the surname Torkington mean?
The surname Torkington is of English origin and is considered a locational surname, derived from a place name where the original bearer once lived or held land. It is said to originate from Torkington near Stockport in Cheshire, England. The name Torkington itself could possibly be divided into two elements: "Tork" and "ington". While it's difficult to be certain, the former might be a personal name and the latter typically means "place of" or "settlement of". Therefore, the meaning of this surname could be interpreted as "settlement of Tork" or similar. Locational surnames were often given to people after they moved from the place that gave them their name as a means of identifying them. Today, bearers of the surname Torkington can be found in several parts of the world, potentially descended from those who moved around in the UK or migrated to other regions or countries over the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisTorkington: Where does the name Torkington come from?
The last name Torkington is mainly found in the United Kingdom today, particularly in the north of England. It is most commonly found in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire.
In the 1881 census in the United Kingdom, the most populous region for the surname Torkington was in Yorkshire where one in every 1,092 residents carried the name. Lancashire was the second most populous region for the surname in the 1881 census, where one in every 2,010 residents carried it.
The last name Torkington is also found in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland although it is not as common. In the United States, the surname is most populous in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania. In Australia and New Zealand, the name is most commonly seen in Victoria and New South Wales.
The last name Torkington gives the impression of being an old-fashioned name, and there were 28 Torkington households in England in the 1881 census. The modern variation of the name, which is similar, is Torkingtons.
Although the last name may not be as common today, it does continue to be carried by families around the world.
Variations of the surname Torkington
The surname Torkington is an Anglicized version of the Olde English name Thorckington. It is also spelled Torrington, Thorkington, Torckington, Throkinton, Throcnington and Thorcotton. Variants include Thorington, Thurington, Turcott, Thorogood and Thirgott.
The name is thought to have originated from the village of Torrington in Devon, UK. It appears to have been adopted as a surname by one or more families, probably in the late medieval period. The surname is first attested in the 13th century, when one William de Thorckynton was named in the Assize Rolls of Somerset.
In the 17th and 18th century, the name became distributed in many parts of England, particularly the North West and the Midlands. The name was often associated with Greater Manchester and Cheshire. In the 18th century, it appeared in Scotland, too, and is still distinctive in certain parts of the country.
The name is associated with a large number of families with a range of spellings, including de Thorkyton, de Thorkinton, Thorkett, de Torrington, Thororgett, de Thorughton and Torkintone.
Today the name Torkington is mainly found in the UK, particularly in the North West region. It is also sporadically found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Famous people with the name Torkington
- Cobi Torkington: British actor, best known for his roles in Netflix drama 'The One' and American webseries 'The Pack'.
- Dan Torkington: British actor, best known for his roles in British sitcom 'Grimbly' and Comedy Central show 'Inside Out'.
- Gilda Torkington: British star of the stage and screen, most recently in the Netflix original movie 'Taming Laughter'.
- Harry Torkington: British actor, best known for his roles in the BBC One drama 'Singing The Blues' and ABC drama 'The Good Doctor'.
- Jacob Torkington: American actor, best known for his roles in CBS television comedy 'My Crazy Life' and the CW sci-fi drama 'Timeless'.
- Josie Torkington: English film and stage actor, best known for her role in the Hollywood blockbuster 'Fury'.
- Naomi Torkington: British film actress, most recently seen in the Netflix-produced rom-com 'The Proposal'.
- Penny Torkington: award-winning Canadian actress, best known for her roles in the movies 'Happiness Looks Good on You' and 'Ten Rules'.
- Sarah Torkington: British theatre and television actress, most recently seen in the Sky TV drama 'Pillars of Strength'.
- Steve Torkington: British stand-up comedian and actor, most recently seen on BBC Two's 'The Graham Norton Show'.