Origins of the Thomas surname

What does the name Thomas mean?

The origin of the Thomas surname is varied and it has arisen independently in a number of different locations. Thomas is the twelfth most popular surname in the United States, and third most common name in France, though also is widely found in the rest of the English-speaking world (particularly in Wales and Cornwall). Thomas has biblical origins, as one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, but also has patronymic roots as 'the son of Thomas'.

Alternative variations of the name Thomas

Thomas, Tomas, Thoms, Thomass, Toms

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Thomases.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Thomas family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 1571North West 3272Isle of Man 66Yorkshire 4012East Midlands 551West Midlands 3816East 2575London 11973South East 5061South West 49092South Wales 9328Mid Wales 14798West Wales 471North Wales 5197Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Thomases lived in south-west

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

190,000 Thomas Travel & migration records
1,200,000 Thomases found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Thomas

How common is your surname?

9th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Thomas surname. The oldest one dates back to 1100.

Who were Thomases most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Thomases.

What are the most common Thomas first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Thomas family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Thomases

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Thomases in 1921

Dressmaker

7,150

General Servant Domestic

3,554

House Servant

3,522

Domestic Servant

3,342

General Servant

3,140

Commmon male occupations for Thomases in 1921

Coal Miner

10,510

Farmer

7,812

Coal Miner Hewer

5,656

Carpenter

3,783

General Labourer

3,734

We found over 790,000 family trees with the Thomas surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Thomases.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Thomas family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search