Surname Tindall - Meaning and Origin

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Z. Tindall

Tindall: What does the surname Tindall mean?

The last name Tindall is an English and Scottish surname. Its root word is the Old English ‘tind’, which means ‘fire,’ and the suffix ‘hal’, which means ‘refuge’ or ‘shelter’. The combination of these two elements, therefore, suggests that the surname was an English topographical name for someone who lived near a bonfire or riverbank (the suffix ‘hal’ could also refer to a riverbank).

The surname was also used habitually as a decorative surname by some families, referring to the ‘fire and shelter’ combination mentioned above. Indeed, the name is said to have first been used as a given name for a child born during a particularly cold winter, in order to ward off evil spirits and keep the family safe.

Other Tindall variants include Tidwell, Tiemeyer, and Tyndale. There are several other less likely derivations of Tindall, such as its Scottish origin meaning people of the valley. However, the most commonly accepted origin of the name is the Old English meaning of fire and shelter.

Today, the Tindall surname is mostly found in Britain and the United States. Although a fairly uncommon surname, it is still found in various parts of the world. Families with the surname Tindall may have originated from further immigration from Britain or the United States in more recent times.

Tindall: Where does the name Tindall come from?

The last name Tindall is commonly associated today with the United Kingdom and endures as a thriving English, Irish, and Scottish surname. Most often associated with the county of Yorkshire, Tindall families have been recorded in the region dating back to the 12th century.

The surname originated from the Old English personal name Tine or Tyna, popular during the Middle Ages, with "hal" referring to a hill. Thus, the term "Tindall" could be a reference to a family living on or near a hill or other high ground.

Today, those of the Tindall surname can be found in numbers throughout the United Kingdom, but even further out. It is most common within the counties of Midlands and the north-west including Shropshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Lancashire, and to an even smaller degree, in London and Scotland.

It is also present in large numbers in the United States, with the Tindall surname having earned a place in the top 10,000 of American surnames. This is likely the result of British settlers from Northumberland, Scotland, and other regions, who brought the name to the English colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries. The surname is now also proportionally strong in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Tindall

Tindall is a surname with English and Scottish roots. It is derived from an Old English word, 'tyendel', and is thought to refer to someone who worked with cloth and thread. It is most commonly found in the northern regions of the UK, particularly Northumberland, Scotland, and Cumbria. Variants of the surname include Tindal, Tindell, Tyendall, and Tyndall.

A common variation of the surname is Tindal, although this more likely has Scandinavian or German origins and can be traced back to the Viking invasions of Britain. The root word is ‘Tinder’, which is thought to mean a bundle of twigs used for kindling fires. The Scandinavian version of Tindal is often found in Lancashire and is written as Tyndall, with both spellings being found further North in Durham and Yorkshire.

In Scotland, the surname Tindal can also be written as Tindall, although this spelling is more likely derived from the Old English ‘Tyendel’. The name is most commonly found in the Lowlands, and is believed to mean ‘one who made threads’.

In addition to these surnames, there is one more surname of the same origin. This is the less common, but still occasionally found, Tyendell. It is thought to have derived from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning ‘thread maker’. It is most commonly found in the North East of England in Durham, Yorkshire, and Northumbria.

Overall, the surname Tindall has a wide variety of variants and spellings, and was most likely derived from Anglo-Saxon roots. It is still found commonly in England and Scotland today and has been around for centuries.

Famous people with the name Tindall

• Zara Tindall: Former professional equestrian athlete, daughter of the Princess Royal Anne, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II.
• Mike Tindall: Professional rugby player, husband to Zara Tindall, son-in-law of Princess Royal Anne.
• Edward Tindall: British Army officer, Master of the Household to the Prince of Wales from 2002 to 2007.
• Fabian Tindall: Professional soccer player for York City FC.
• Gary Tindall: Professional soccer player who served for Blackpool and Oxford United.
• Victoria Tindall: Professional heptathlete, 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medalist.
• Fiona Tindall: Professional pentathlete, bronze medalist at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
• Robert Tindall: English composer, organist, and pianist.
• William Tindall: Poet and former university professor who was a member of the so-called New York School of poets.
• Maggie Tindall: British theorist and classicist, author of The Original Vocation of Woman.

Other surnames

Tindal