TULL
Tull is an English surname that is recorded on the British Isles and in England. It is traditionally associated with the English language and Christian heritage, as indicated by its earliest documentary attestations.
According to the Dictionary of National Biography and contemporary scholarship, the surname was first introduced to England by the Normans following the conquest of 1066. It is derived from the medieval given name Tull, itself a short form of the Roman family name Tullius. As a result, the name was brought into England as a hereditary surname during the Norman period and has since evolved into the modern spelling Tull.
In an alternative lineage, the surname has also been linked to the 8th century female personal name Matilda, meaning “the mighty battle maid.” The name gave rise to derivatives such as Tilda, Tilla and Tulla, which later became surnames in their own right. Patronymic diminutives, indicating “son of Till or Tull,” followed. This origin is noteworthy because it survives as one of the few surnames deriving from the name of the mother rather than the patrilineal ancestor, a rarity in a traditionally patriarchal society.
Documentary evidence of the surname includes the first recorded spelling of William Tyl in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire of 1327, during the reign of King Edward the First (1307–1327). The name Tilla appears as a personal name in 1246 in the Bedfordshire Assize Rolls, and church registers record a christening of John Tull at Wantage on 7 September 1544. A witness named Thomas Toull is listed at St. George’s in the East, Steney, on 23 February 1738.
The most celebrated bearer of the name is Jethro Tull (1674–1741), a writer of agricultural treatises and the inventor of the seed drill, whose work had a profound influence on modern farming and the Agricultural Revolution.
In contemporary times, the surname Tull can be found across various regions of the world, particularly in English‑speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia, reflecting the diaspora of English emigrants. Its persistence and continued use underscore a long and well‑documented heritage rooted in medieval England.
Typical given names associated with the Tull surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- Daniel
- David
- Gary
- John
- Kenneth
- Mark
- Michael
- Stephen
Female
- Amanda
- Ann
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Jane
- Joan
- Karen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Shirley
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Tull in...
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There are approximately 1,383 people named Tull in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,723rd most common surname in Britain. Around 21 in a million people in Britain are named Tull.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Tull
- Jethro Tull - Agricultural pioneer, who helped bring about the British Agricultural Revolution (1674 to 1741)
- Walter Tull - Professional football player and army officer (1888 to 1918)
- Patrick Tull - Actor (1941 to 2006)
- Danny Tull - Director and film editor
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.