Tolkien Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Tolkien last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Tolkien last name
Meaning of the Tolkien last name: foolhardy. Tolkien is an English surname of German origin, from Tollkühn, "foolhardy". The family came from Saxony to England in the eighteenth century and worked as piano makers. J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, made this last name famous.
Arms associated with the Tolkien name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Tolkien name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Tolkien family history
This is only a glimpse of the Tolkien story. The full Tolkien history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Tolkien coat of arms. Get the full Tolkien report.
Tolkien name FAQ
What does the Tolkien name mean?
Foolhardy. Common variants include Tollkühn.
Where does the Tolkien surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Tolkien coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Tolkien coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).