# Tolkien

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈtɒlkiːn/ · frequency rank #23,133

## Definitions
1. A surname.
2. A surname.

## Etymology
Likely from Middle Low German Tolkin (literally “son of Tolk”), which is probably also related to Polish Tołkiny and German Tolksdorf, names for a Prussian town; the nickname Tolk is connected to Middle Low German tolk (“interpreter”), from Proto-Slavic *tъlkъ. J. R. R. Tolkien subscribed to a folk etymology that connected the name with German tollkühn (“foolhardy”).

## Easily confused with
- **Tonkin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tolkien-vs-tonkin)
- **token** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/token-vs-tolkien)
- **talkie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/talkie-vs-tolkien)
- **talkies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/talkies-vs-tolkien)

## Common misspellings (10)
`otlkien`, `tlokien`, `toklien`, `toliken`, `tolkein`, `tolkienn`, `tolkine`, `tolkkien`, `tollkien`, `ttolkien`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tolkien