NameCensus.

UK surname

Tham

A locational surname derived from a place in Suffolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Tham surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 286, ranked #15,240, up from #33,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tham is 286 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7050.0%.

1881 census count

4

Ranked #33,288

Modern count

286

2016, ranked #15,240

Peak year

2016

286 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tham had 4 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016, ranked #15,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 72 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Tham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tham surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tham 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 4 #33,288
1891 historical 47 #30,566
1901 historical 17 #32,146
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 186 #18,448
1998 modern 190 #18,687
1999 modern 199 #18,293
2000 modern 207 #17,833
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 202 #18,189
2003 modern 204 #17,909
2004 modern 217 #17,276
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 228 #16,789
2007 modern 232 #16,795
2008 modern 242 #16,432
2009 modern 251 #16,368
2010 modern 269 #15,935
2011 modern 262 #16,098
2012 modern 267 #15,791
2013 modern 269 #15,963
2014 modern 280 #15,621
2015 modern 282 #15,417
2016 modern 286 #15,240

Geography

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Where Thams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Coventry, Westminster and Barnet. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ealing 020 Ealing
2 Hammersmith and Fulham 020 Hammersmith and Fulham
3 Coventry 025 Coventry
4 Westminster 011 Westminster
5 Barnet 024 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tham

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tham, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Tham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Tham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tham is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tham is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tham falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Tham

The surname Tham has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the region of Tamil Nadu in southern India. It is derived from the Tamil word "thambi," which means "younger brother" or "younger male relative." The name Tham is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

In ancient Tamil literature and inscriptions, the name Tham can be found in various forms, such as Thambu, Thamban, and Thambiram. These variations suggest the name's deep roots in the Tamil language and culture. The earliest recorded instances of the name Tham date back to the Chola dynasty, which ruled parts of southern India between the 9th and 13th centuries.

One notable historical reference to the name Tham comes from the Thanjavur Maratha Sarfoji records, which document the appointment of a minister named Tham Venkatarama Iyengar during the reign of King Tulaja II in the 18th century. Additionally, the Tham family played a significant role in the administration of the Vijayanagar Empire, which dominated the southern part of the Indian subcontinent from the 14th to the 17th century.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Tham was Tham Venkatarama Nayak, a prominent scholar and poet who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his contributions to Tamil literature and his devotional works dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva.

Another notable figure was Tham Kundrakkutti, a Tamil philosopher and logician who lived in the 17th century. He was renowned for his treatises on logic and metaphysics, which influenced subsequent generations of scholars in the region.

In the 19th century, Tham Rajanambalam Pillai was a prominent Tamil scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the study of Tamil language and literature. He authored several works on Tamil grammar, poetry, and literary criticism.

The name Tham has also been associated with various place names in Tamil Nadu, such as Thambarahalli, Thambarapalayam, and Thambaraipalli, which further underscores the name's deep-rooted connection to the region.

While the surname Tham is more commonly found in Tamil Nadu and among the Tamil diaspora around the world, it has also been adopted by individuals from other parts of India, particularly in the southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where Tamil influence has been significant.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tham 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. Northumberland leads with 2 Thams recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.98x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 2 45.98x
Buckinghamshire 1 56.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Lilburn in Northumberland leads with 2 Thams recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
East Lilburn 2 0.00x
Bierton With Broughton 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Archbold 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tham households.

FAQ

Tham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Tham surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016. That gives Tham a modern rank of #15,240.

What does the Tham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in Suffolk, England.

What does the Tham map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tham 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.