Toronto
Toronto Location within County Durham
Population	399 (2001)[1]
OS grid reference	NZ 19913 30754
Shire county	County Durham
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BISHOP AUCKLAND
Postcode district	DL14
Dialling code	01388
Police	Durham
Fire	County Durham and Darlington
Ambulance	North East
List of places UK England County Durham 54°40′11″N 1°41′27″W / 54.669750°N 1.6908500°W / 54.669750; -1.6908500

Toronto is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated a mile to the north-west of Bishop Auckland and was represented in Wear Valley District Council until that authority was merged into Durham County Council in April 2009. In the 2001 census Toronto had a population of 399.^[1]

History

The village is named after Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The name is derived from the Mohawk word tkaronto, meaning "place where trees stand in the water". A coal baron with land in County Durham was visiting the Canadian city when he was told that coal had been discovered under his land. He therefore decided to call the mine Toronto, whence the village also took its name.^[2]

Geography

Toronto is located on a plateau north west of Bishop Auckland in a loop of the River Wear.

Demographics

Population in the village is similar to Bishop Auckland, predominantly white. The village consists of houses, mostly in traditional brick-built terraces, surrounded by agricultural land.