A collection of facts for the Toolan Surname Researcher

including all variations of the name.

Toolin, Toolen, Tolan, Toland, Toulan, Towlan and a number of others.

History of the Name

Tolan, Toland, Toolan. O Tusthalain in Ulster, the province of its origin, is now usually Toland, while in Mayo it is Tolan, though a century ago in Mayo it was Toolan. This is the natural pronunciation having regard to the Irish form and indeed it was so called in its homeland, the barony of Tirhugh, Co. Donegal, when Petty's census was taken in 1659; in that document the prefix "O", now discarded, is retained. The O'Toolans migrated, like many other Donegal families, to Mayo with some of the leading O'Donnells in 1602; but many remained, as is proved by the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665 in which as O'Toolan and O"Twolan the names occur frequently. In the "Book of Lecan" the sept appears as cenel Tulan. It was however, found in Co. Sligo long before that. Petrus O Tuathalain was vicar of Killaspugbrone in the barony of Carbury in 1306; and a Fiant of 1594 includes an O'Tolan of Co. Sligo. According to O'Donovan's editorial note in the "Annals of the Four Masters" the Tolans went to Mayo in the seventeenth century with the O'Donnells; he adds that in Achill the name became Thulis.

Griffiths Primary Valuation property survey of Ireland, taken from 1848-1864 lists the following name households in these counties:

County	Spelling	Households
DUBLIN	Toolan Toolen Tolan Toland	1 1 11 1
GALWAY	Toolan Toolin	2 1
ROSCOMMON	Toolan Toolin Toulon Tolin	7 4 13 3
SLIGO	Toolan Toulan Toolin Towlan Tolen Tolan	6 6 1 1 1 1
DONEGAL	Tolen Tolin Tolan Toland	2 9 44 11
MAYO	Tolen Tolin Tollhan Tolan	3 3 2 23
OFFALY	Towlan	1
LOUTH	Tolen	1
TIPPERARY	Tolin	1
ARMAGH	Tolan Tolon	1 2
ANTRIM	Tolan Toland	8 8
BELFAST	Tolan Toland	1 1
DERRY	Tolan Toland	5 3
DOWN	Tolan	1
FERMANAGH	Tolan Toland	1 1
MEATH	Tolan	1
TYRONE	Tolan Toland	6 6

Purpose of this site

This site is intended to be a collection of facts that have been compiled from many sources. Any mention of the name Toolan or its variants have been extracted from many locations and brought together here to, hopefully, make your search a little easier. It is in no way meant to be a complete reference, only a starting point. Everywhere possible we've listed the source of our information. To find out any more than is listed in our pages you will have to go to the original source. Any additional information is always welcome.

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