Most of the Hobbit families named by Tolkien have had their names anglicised from their original forms in the Shire (for example, the name 'Brandybuck' combines English elements to represent the family's original name of Brandagamba). The Tooks, though, are a rare example where the family name has changed only in spelling. The actual name of this family was Tûk (thought by them - somewhat questionably - to derive from a word meaning 'daring'). Given the fact that 'Took' actually exists as a modern English surname, Tolkien merely simplified the spelling, rather than attempting to translate the meaning.
For a genealogy of the Tûk family, see the entry for the modernised spelling of their family name, Took.
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- Updated 12 November 2008
- Updates planned: 2
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