Tooke is an

Old English name Germanic given names are traditionally dithematic; that is, they are formed from two elements, by joining a prefix and a suffix. For example, King Æþelred's name was derived from ', for "noble", and ', for "counsel". However, there are al ...

originally found predominantly in the

East Anglia East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...

region of the United Kingdom.Tooke is said to be derived "from the

Old Swedish Old Swedish (Swedish language, Modern Swedish: ) is the name for two distinct stages of the Swedish language that were spoken in the Middle Ages: Early Old Swedish (), spoken from about 1225 until about 1375, and Late Old Swedish (), spoken fro ...

(pre 7th century Old Scandinavian origin) personal name "Toki". Toki remained a personal name from the Old Scandinavian, through the Anglo-Norman, and Middle English periods.''The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland by Patrick Hanks, Richard Coates, and Peter McClur

/ref>

Etymology

Tooke is said to be derived "from the

(pre 7th century Old Scandinavian origin) personal name "Toki", itself claimed to be short form (in Latin a

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...

or in Greek a

hypocoristicon A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek: (), from (), 'to call by pet names', sometimes also ''hypocoristic'') or pet name is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as ''Izzy'' for I ...

) of "Thorkettill" translating as "Thors cauldron", although some sources suggest the derivation is from "Tiodgeir", meaning "people-spear".". Toki remained a personal name from the Old Scandinavian, through the Anglo-Norman, and Middle English periods. Two

runestone A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock. The tradition began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but most of the runestones da ...

inscriptions contain the personal name Toki: the

Gunderup Runestone The Gunderup Runestone, or DR 143, is located in Gunderup, North Jutland County, Jutland, Denmark. It is notable because it is one of few runestones raised in commemoration of a woman. Description The Gunderup Runestone was first documented in 162 ...

and the

Sjörup Runestone The Sjörup Runestone is a runestone in Scania, Sweden, from approximately 1000 AD that is classified as being in runestone style RAK. The Karlevi Runestone, the Egtved Runestone and the Hällestad Runestones may be connected to it. History T ...

. The personal name Thorkell is mentioned in two sagas: Hrafnkel's Saga and the Laxdale Saga. "Thorkettill" translating as "Thors cauldron" is a reference to the Norse myth that thunder was made by Thor riding around in a chariot full of kettles. "According to Helene Adeline Guerber, "in Southern Germany the people, fancying a brazen chariot alone inadequate to furnish all the noise they heard, declared it was loaded with copper kettles, which rattled and clashed, and therefore often called him, with disrespectful familiarity, the kettle-vendor."". Also in the Norse sagas there is a story in which Thor is looking for a "kettle large enough to brew ale for all the Æsir at one time.".

Distribution

Tooke in 1881 census (in individuals) Tuck in 1881 census (in individuals) The Old-Swedish source of Tooke seems to be confirmed by its distribution in England. Tooke is overwhelmingly prevalent in Norfolk, then Suffolk; areas that were part of the Viking

Danelaw The Danelaw (, also known as the Danelagh; ang, Dena lagu; da, Danelagen) was the part of England in which the laws of the Danes held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. The Danelaw contrasts with the West Saxon law and the Mercian ...

. References to

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...

hit a "high popularity during the Viking Age". Compared with their Anglo- Saxon neighbours, the Vikings favoured Thor, instead of Woden. Also, Tooke is derived from "Old Swedish" (pre-7th-century Old Scandinavian origin) rather than the related "Old English". Tuck is far less localized; its largest concentration is also in Norfolk, but it is found throughout England. It is also far more common a surname than Tooke. There are few records in the Norman period of English history. However we do have the

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

of 1086. The book was a survey of the land, and land ownership before and after the

Norman conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conque ...

. In the database provided b
''PASE Domesday''
there are twenty thre
people of the name Toki
and its variants to be found in the Domesday records. These are only men who held land, which was only a small segment of the population.

History

Tuck and Tooke, of East Anglia: Norfolk, and Suffolk

The Tookes from Norwich appear to associate themselves (using their arms) with the landed Toke family of Godinton Kent, which claims descent from Robert de Toke, who was present with Henry III at the

Battle of Northampton (1264) The Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Second Barons' War. A decisive victory for the royalist forces of King Henry III of England, who took Northampton Castle and captured Simon de Montfort (the Younger), son of Simon de Montfort (the ...

. Most Norfolk Tookes would be more of local origin. Dr. Robert Liddiard in his thesis ''Landscapes of Lordship: Norman Castles and the Countryside in Medieval Norfolk, 1066-1200 '' suggests there were "a maximum of five and a minimum of three individuals called Toki who held land in Norfolk on the eve of the

orman Orman may refer to: People * Aldona Orman (born 1968), Polish actress * Alen Orman (born 1978), Austrian football player * Charles Orman (1859–1927), British cricketer and soldier * Fikret Orman (born 1967), Turkish businessman *Greg Orman ( ...

conquest". One Toki (in particular) was rather prominen
Toki 11
antecessor of William de Warenne. "Toki was one of England's wealthiest lords, ranking fortieth in terms of wealth as recorded in Domesday Book TRE."Page 132 of ''Lords and Communities in Early Medieval East Anglia'' by Andrew Wareha

/ref> Toki and his family lost their position, after the fall of the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings. ''Lords and Communities in Early Medieval East Anglia'' describes that he was a King's Thane A Thane was "a rank of nobility in pre-Norman England, roughly equivalent to baron.". "The thanes in England were formerly persons of some dignity; there were two orders, the king's thanes, who attended the kings in their courts and held lands immediately of them, and the ordinary thanes, who were lords of manors and who had particular jurisdiction within their limits. After the

Conquest, this title was disused, and baron took its place.".

Toka of Norfolk

''The Ketts of Norfolk, a yeoman family''''The Ketts of Norfolk, a yeoman family'' by Kett, Louisa Marion; Kett, George, 1836-191

/ref> suggests that the Ketts are descended from a Toka/i "francigena" and his family who held numerous lordships of the manor in Norfolk in the reign of Edward the Confessor,Wikipedia:

Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066. Edward was the son of Æth ...

as mentioned above.

More on Toka: Deep ancestral history

"The Danish origin of the Ketts is indicated in the name of Godwin, and the pedigree goes back to him. Having regard to the date 1225, it would make 1140 a probable date for Godwin's birth. It seems unlikely that any documentary evidence now exists that will prove an earlier generation. We have Domesday compiled 1086. From the scarcity of surnames in that record no clear reference to the Ketts of East Anglia is forthcoming, but christian names similar to those of the earliest recorded members of the Kett family have been found. They have been abstracted from the Norfolk Domesday and closely analysed. It is worth noting that the association of one group of Godwins, Hughs, and Huberts indicates a probable derivation from Toka, a " francigena " or foreigner (another word is used for Frank or Frenchman). This Toka was born about 960 A.D. These men were tenants of the de Morleys and the previous holders of de Morley lands. The following pedigree is appended, for what it is worth, as being reasonably probable...". Toka "francigena" Born about 960PASE Domesday: Toki 11 Toki, antecessor of William de Warenne, fl. 106

/ref> Godwin Tokesone (Godwine son of Toki) Born about 1000 ; held land at Wooton, county Norfolk (246 b.), under Gert, from the King, brother of Harold, 1042—1060; aka called the "Other Godwin"; Domeday, fo. 33 b., " son of Toka," Suffolk. Godwin Godwine Born about 1030 ; held land at "Wooton under Godwin Tokesone, and in Panxford and Plumstead, county Norfolk, under Gert, 1042—1066. ''Godwin'', a freeman, of Panxford and ''Godwine of Plumstead'', Hugh Born about 1060 ; succeeded to Godwin's land in Panxford and Plumstead, which he held in 10S6. Hugh also then held land in Morley and Aslactou. Hugh Born about 1100. Father of Godwin. (Early Norfolk Fine.) Godwin Born about 1140. Son of Hugh. Held land in Wilchingham, county Norfolk, 1202. ? Godwin Ket, father of Hubert Kett of Morley, about 1200. (Early Norfolk Fine.) Hubert Kett wife Katherine. Chartulary, "Wymondham Abbey. Born about 1170; of Morley, 1200. His services were granted to Wymondham Abbey, 1200, by Eobert de Morley. Hugh Kett. Born about 1200. (See Pedigree A''The Pedigree of Kett of Wymondham, Co. Norfolk, A.D. 1180-1913: Shewing the Ancestry, Kindred and Descendants of Robert, William and Thomas Kett, Leaders of the Rebellion in East Anglia, 1549, and of Francis Kett, the Martyr, Burnt at the Stake at Norwich Castle, 1589'

/ref>) Source: ''The Ketts of Norfolk, a yeoman family''''The Ketts of Norfolk, a yeoman family'' by Kett, Louisa Marion; Kett, George, 1836-191

/ref> & ''The Pedigree of Kett of Wymondham, Co. Norfolk, A.D. 1180-1913: Shewing the Ancestry, Kindred and Descendants of Robert, William and Thomas Kett, Leaders of the Rebellion in East Anglia, 1549, and of Francis Kett, the Martyr, Burnt at the Stake at Norwich Castle, 1589''

Notable Tooke(s)

Andrew Tooke Andrew Tooke (1673–1732) was an English scholar, headmaster of Charterhouse School, Gresham Professor of Geometry, Fellow of the Royal Society and translator of ''Tooke's Pantheon'', a standard textbook for a century on Greek mythology. Life He ...

(1673–1732), English scholar, headmaster, and translator of ''Tooke's Pantheon'' * Charles Emery Tooke, Jr. (1912–1986), U.S. attorney and politician from Louisiana *

John Horne Tooke John Horne Tooke (25 June 1736 – 18 March 1812), known as John Horne until 1782 when he added the surname of his friend William Tooke to his own, was an England, English clergyman, politician, and Philology, philologist. Associated with radica ...

(1736–1812), English clergyman, politician, and philologist *

John Tooke Sir John Edward Tooke, (born 4 March 1949) is the Head of the School of Life & Medical Sciences at University College, London. He was formerly worked at the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry where he was the Inaugural Dean, and of the ...

(born 1949), English professor of medicine and medical reform advocate *

Thomas Tooke Thomas Tooke (; 28 February 177426 February 1858) was an English economist known for writing on money and economic statistics. After Tooke's death the Statistical Society endowed the Tooke Chair of economics at King's College London, and a Tooke ...

(1774–1858), English economist and economic statistician, son of William Tooke (1744–1820), brother of William Tooke (1777–1863) *

William Tooke William Tooke (1744 – 17 November 1820) was a British clergyman and historian of Russia. Life Tooke was the second son of Thomas Tooke (1705–1773) of St. John's, Clerkenwell, by his wife Hannah, only daughter of Thomas Mann of St. James's, ...

(1744–1820), British clergyman and historian of Russia, father of William Tooke (1777–1863) and Thomas Tooke *

William Tooke (1777–1863) William Tooke FRS (1777–1863) was an English lawyer, politician, and President of the Society of Arts. Early life and the law He was the younger son of William Tooke the historian; Thomas Tooke was his elder brother. Born at St. Petersburg on ...

, British lawyer, son of William Tooke (1744–1820), brother of Thomas Tooke * Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins and Meriadoc Brandybuck are all descendants of the Took line of the ''Thains of the Shire''.

References

{{reflist Surnames of English origin