32)[8] and though it might refer to the island of Tåsinge, it could also well be referring to another place near Odense[9] The first time Tåsinge clearly appears in the sources is in the Danish Census Book from around 1231, where it is called Thosland,[9] and this designation seems to have been in proper use for a very long time, until the Age of Enlightenment, when antiquarians of the day because of the rudimentary state of etymology reinterpreted the name as 'Thorseng' or 'Thorsing', believing the name to mean 'Thors seng' or 'Thors eng' (lit.

[9] Etymologists presently consider the prefix to be a root of Old Norse 'Thōs', meaning 'melting', 'thawing' and alike, possibly referring to the narrow strait of Svendborgsund which separates the island from Funen.

In the north commuters who work in the Svendborg area and retired senior citizens live, while the rest of the island is mostly occupied by farming and agriculture.

Sydfyns Flyveplads (Tåsinge International Airport) (ICAO: EKST), the only major aerodrome in the vicinity, is situated on the western part of the island, providing trips for both business and recreational purposes.

From the 17th century on, during the Age of absolutism, the first baron on Valdemars Castle (who had won the rights to the castle following the Battle of Køge Bay) and his inheritors soon amassed as much land on the island as possible, effectively making the ever-sitting baron the de facto owner and feudal lord of almost the entire island, with the farmers remaining as tenants and copyholders, from the first part of the 18th century and right until the conversion of entailed estates into fee simple (Lensafløsningen) 1919.

The male line of the barons Juel were however not necessarily only harsh lords, but introduced several new occupations and innovations to the island through the years, such as the (later) important apple farming, attempts at industrial cloth production (a klædefabrik, 1752–58) and public schools (1795) among other things.

The nearby village of Troense, situated slightly opposite Svendborg, picturesque with a view to Svendborgsund and neighboring Valdemars Slot, is particularly famed for its well-dimensioned and idyllic half timbered houses, build by wealthy sea captains and sailors through the golden period in the Age of Sails, when large sailing ships were being constructed on local shipyards and crewed for faraway destinations.

By the end of the 19th century, the Troense area was extremely popular among tourists (and still is), becoming easier to reach with modern transportation such as train and ferry, and with cheap accommodations and activities such as sea bathing, excursions, relaxation, social gatherings, etc.

In the summer season, the visitors would typically book one of several private pensions, a large part of the village effectively becoming a resort town in the early decades of the 20th century.

[12] Troense is also known as the last place where Elvira Madigan and Sixten Sparre stayed in July 1889, before going on a "picnic with Death" in the nearby Nørreskov forest.

Bregninge Kirke is situated on top of the hill, and from its tower, in clear weather, it is possible to see large parts of the South Funen Archipelago.

[21][22] The local archive of Landet keeps both Lolks collections and other evidence of the connections, and regularly receives requests from far and away relatives to once Tåsinge born residents.