Other larger population centres in the municipality include Barkåker, Bergsåsen, Brekkeåsen, Eik, Fon, Gretteåsen, Husøy, Husvik, Linnestad, Ramnes, Rånerudåsen, Revetal, Sem, Svinevoll, Teie, and Vear.

The first element is the genitive case of tún (n) which means "fenced area", "garden", or "field around a dwelling".

[10] For a long time, the city and municipality did not have a formal coat of arms, but instead an old medieval seal dating back to 1349 was used in its place.

The blue and white circular seal shows the Tønsberg Fortress surrounded by a ring wall on a mountain with the sea in front.

[4][11][12] In preparation for the merger of Re and Tønsberg Municipalities, a new coat of arms was adopted in 2018 for use starting on 1 January 2020.

To the right of the line, the field has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used.

The charge on the left side is a longship stem, symbolizing the one on the Oseberg Ship and the great Viking Age history in the area.

This seedling or sprout has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used.

On 1 January 1838, the formannskapsdistrikt law went into effect, making all cities and rural parishes across Norway into civil municipalities with self-governing councils.

Tønsberg is the municipality in Vestfold that has the highest number of cattle (both dairy and meat cows).

Important industrial areas are also found along the Oslofjord from Husøy and northwards to Vallø and Slagentangen.

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Tønsberg is made up of 43 representatives that are elected to four-year terms.

Most of the municipality lies on the mainland plus a small area on the north end of the island of Nøtterøy.

The landscape is characterized by slightly hilly, elongated and wooded hills with crevasse valleys running north-south and with heights in the western part of the municipality reaching as high as the 400-metre (1,300 ft) tall Snippane, just west of Vivestad.