NameCensus.

UK surname

Tams

An anglicized variation of the French surname "Thomas".

In the 1881 census there were 390 people recorded with the Tams surname, ranking it #8,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 901, ranked #6,298, up from #8,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trentham, Burslem and Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stafford, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tams is 928 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 131.0%.

1881 census count

390

Ranked #8,104

Modern count

901

2016, ranked #6,298

Peak year

2010

928 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tams had 390 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 901 in 2016, ranked #6,298.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 558 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Tams surname distribution map

The map shows where the Tams surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Tams surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tams over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 261 #8,490
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 390 #8,104
1891 historical 388 #9,104
1901 historical 497 #8,090
1911 historical 558 #7,202
1997 modern 591 #8,235
1998 modern 846 #6,463
1999 modern 854 #6,457
2000 modern 843 #6,504
2001 modern 827 #6,488
2002 modern 872 #6,340
2003 modern 860 #6,294
2004 modern 849 #6,358
2005 modern 837 #6,373
2006 modern 856 #6,283
2007 modern 870 #6,259
2008 modern 869 #6,300
2009 modern 905 #6,241
2010 modern 928 #6,230
2011 modern 924 #6,199
2012 modern 900 #6,248
2013 modern 916 #6,264
2014 modern 912 #6,314
2015 modern 905 #6,305
2016 modern 901 #6,298

Geography

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Where Tams' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trentham, Burslem, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Sandon and Colwich (Colwich), Stowe, Colton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stafford, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newcastle upon Tyne and Stoke-on-Trent. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Trentham Staffordshire
2 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
4 Sandon Staffordshire
5 Colwich (Colwich), Stowe, Colton Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stafford 003 Stafford
2 Newcastle-under-Lyme 003 Newcastle-under-Lyme
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 029 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Stoke-on-Trent 028 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 024 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tams

These lists show first names that appear often with the Tams surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tams

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tams, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Tams surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Tams household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Tams is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tams is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tams falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tams is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tams, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tams

The surname Tams has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tame," meaning "to tame" or "to subdue." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked with animals or perhaps someone with a gentle and tamed demeanor.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Walter le Tame. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also list a Richard le Tame.

In the Domesday Book, a renowned historical record compiled in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the surname Tams. However, there are references to place names that may have contributed to the development of the surname, such as Tame in Staffordshire and Tame in Oxfordshire.

One notable individual with the surname Tams was Sir Edmund Tams, a prominent English lawyer and politician who lived during the 16th century (c. 1520-1587). He served as a Member of Parliament and held the position of Serjeant-at-Law.

Another historical figure was George Tams, a British architect who lived from 1701 to 1771. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Church of St. John the Baptist in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

In the realm of literature, John Tams (1760-1825) was an English poet and writer who authored several works, including "The Life of the Reverend George Whitefield" and "The Child of Providence."

During the 19th century, there was a notable physician named William Tams (1824-1892). He practiced medicine in London and was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

Lastly, the surname Tams can be found in various place names throughout England, such as Tamsford in Oxfordshire and Tamworth in Staffordshire, further emphasizing its historical roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tams families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tams surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Staffordshire leads with 292 Tams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.62x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 292 22.62x
Lancashire 14 0.31x
Yorkshire 13 0.34x
Durham 10 0.88x
Lanarkshire 10 0.81x
Cambridgeshire 9 3.72x
Surrey 7 0.38x
Cheshire 6 0.71x
Northumberland 6 1.05x
Worcestershire 6 1.20x
Leicestershire 5 1.18x
Kent 4 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.78x
Hampshire 3 0.38x
Cornwall 1 0.23x
Royal Navy 1 2.19x
Somerset 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 129 Tams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 94.25x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 129 94.25x
Stone 47 284.68x
Trentham 21 191.26x
Burslem 19 51.39x
Caverswall 12 178.84x
Cliviger 12 470.59x
Rugeley 11 118.79x
Sandon 11 1641.79x
Barony 10 3.20x
St Andrewthe Less 9 32.53x
Colwich 8 260.59x
Whitgreave 8 4000.00x
Holy Trinity 7 7.68x
Shenstone 7 213.41x
Dudley 6 9.88x
Monk Hesleden 6 189.27x
Castle Church 5 64.43x
Leicester St Margaret 5 4.84x
North Sunderland 5 384.62x
Wandsworth 5 13.58x
Brandon Byshottles 4 28.07x
Rempstone 4 975.61x
Wolstanton 4 10.20x
Odd Rode 3 71.77x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 17.05x
Yateley 3 202.70x
Forcett With Carkin 2 270.27x
Garston 2 14.94x
Hougham 2 25.77x
Kingston 2 540.54x
Macclesfield 2 5.33x
Marston 2 229.89x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 8.76x
Buckland In Dover 1 23.15x
Cannock 1 4.44x
Church Minshull 1 204.08x
Croydon 1 0.97x
Dover St James 1 17.48x
Epsom 1 11.01x
Hilderstone 1 192.31x
Long Sutton 1 86.96x
Royal Navy 1 2.57x
St Ives 1 11.81x
Stafford St Mary 1 5.47x
Whitley 1 54.35x
Wolstanton Chesterton 1 15.15x
Wortley In Bramley 1 3.33x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tams surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 21
Jane 13
Sarah 13
Emily 9
Emma 8
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Martha 6
Alice 5
Harriet 5
Annie 4
Eliza 4
Hannah 4
Catherine 3
Minnie 3
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edna 2
Fanny 2
Henrietta 2
Jessie 2
Maria 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Theresa 2
Caroline 1
Deborah 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellenor 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Janet 1
Leah 1
Lucey 1
Lydia 1
Margt. 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Nelly 1
Phillis 1
Rachel 1
Voilet 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tams surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 25
William 24
James 18
George 17
Thomas 15
Charles 11
Joseph 11
Albert 8
Henry 6
Herbert 5
Arthur 4
Leonard 4
Enoch 3
Edmund 2
Edward 2
Elijah 2
Frederick 2
Jacob 2
Jesse 2
Job 2
Sampson 2
Samuel 2
Alan 1
Alfred 1
Alphonso 1
Bernard 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Florance 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Reuben 1
Robert 1
Roland 1
Rupert 1
Tom 1
Unice 1
Walter 1
Willis 1
Wm.Thomas 1

FAQ

Tams surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tams surname in 1881?

In 1881, 390 people were recorded with the Tams surname. That placed it at #8,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tams surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 901 in 2016. That gives Tams a modern rank of #6,298.

What does the Tams surname mean?

An anglicized variation of the French surname "Thomas".

What does the Tams map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tams bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.