Tooting

Area in the borough of Wandsworth in London, England. A well-established suburb that was originally part of Streatham, Tooting is a culturally vibrant neighbourhood with a diverse and mixed background of people and cultures.

Tooting has mainly late-Victorian and early Edwardian terraced houses. Its ethnic diversity is reflected in the shops, restaurants, and local facilities. Settled since pre-Saxon times, it is believed Tooting means ‘the dwelling of the sons of Totas’. For much of its history Tooting was a rural Surrey district cut off from London, and part of the parish of Streatham. In the 18th century Tooting became a popular country residence for some of London's more wealthy citizens, and several large mansions were built in the area. Its population slowly expanded over the succeeding decades; by the early 19th century many elegant villas had been built in the district, and during the late 19th and early 20th centuries Tooting was transformed into a flourishing residential suburb.