Tong
Usually a habitational surname from places called Tong or Tonge, named for a tongue-shaped piece of land or a point at a river meeting.
The #2,730 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 23,397 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is most often taken from one of several English place-names called Tong or Tonge. The place-name comes from Old English unge, meaning “tongue,” used for a tongue-shaped strip of land or a promontory, often where two streams meet. In some cases the spelling later simplified to Tong, while Tongue is an older or fuller form.
History
Medieval records show forms such as Tunge and Tuinc for the Yorkshire place-name, and Tong in Shropshire was also noted for its position near the meeting of brooks. As a surname, Tong therefore usually identifies someone who came from one of these localities. The same spelling can also appear in Chinese surnames, but that is a separate origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A classic explanation of the name is that it points to land shaped like a tongue, especially at a river confluence.
From the historical record
“Ir. Names of PI., ii. 139. TONG 1 (Eng.) Bel. to Tong or Tonge; or TONGE > Dweller at a Tongue or Point of TONGUE I Land (such, e.g., as would be formed by the meeting of two streams) [M.E. tonge, tunge, O.E. tunge, a tongue] Two brooks meet at Tong(e (13th cent. Tonglie), Salop ; and Tongland, Kirkcud- bright, "…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Tong
- Anote Tong (b. 1952)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.