NameCensus.

UK surname

Thom

Derived from the given name Thomas, which comes from the Aramaic for "twin."

In the 1881 census there were 2,699 people recorded with the Thom surname, ranking it #1,649 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,043, ranked #2,212, down from #1,649 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Forfar and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Peterhead Harbour, Deer and Mormond and Drumchapel North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thom is 3,281 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.7%.

1881 census count

2,699

Ranked #1,649

Modern count

3,043

2016, ranked #2,212

Peak year

1901

3,281 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thom had 2,699 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,649 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,043 in 2016, ranked #2,212.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,281 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Thom surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thom surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thom 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 2,118 #1,376
1861 historical 2,366 #1,241
1881 historical 2,699 #1,649
1891 historical 3,186 #1,488
1901 historical 3,281 #1,698
1911 historical 698 #6,092
1997 modern 3,066 #2,096
1998 modern 3,143 #2,133
1999 modern 3,168 #2,134
2000 modern 3,125 #2,152
2001 modern 3,043 #2,163
2002 modern 3,053 #2,205
2003 modern 2,980 #2,206
2004 modern 3,024 #2,168
2005 modern 3,020 #2,145
2006 modern 2,995 #2,162
2007 modern 2,991 #2,178
2008 modern 2,968 #2,214
2009 modern 3,012 #2,239
2010 modern 3,077 #2,239
2011 modern 3,039 #2,238
2012 modern 2,969 #2,251
2013 modern 3,000 #2,268
2014 modern 3,041 #2,250
2015 modern 3,028 #2,233
2016 modern 3,043 #2,212

Geography

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Where Thoms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Forfar, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Peterhead Harbour, Deer and Mormond, Drumchapel North, George Street and Inverurie South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 New Monkland Lanark
2 Forfar Forfar
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Peterhead Harbour Aberdeenshire
2 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
3 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
4 George Street Aberdeen City
5 Inverurie South Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thom

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thom

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Thom surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Thom household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Thom is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Thom is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thom falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thom 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Thom

The surname THOM is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Thomas, which means "twin" in Aramaic. The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the late 12th century in various parts of England.

One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was William Thom, a landowner from Oxfordshire, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1190. Another early record is that of Robert Thom, who was listed in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1212.

The THOM surname is believed to have originated from the Old English personal name "Tomas," which was introduced to Britain by the Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name spread quickly throughout England and became a popular given name, eventually evolving into a hereditary surname.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest comprehensive record of landholders in England, there are no direct references to the THOM surname, as surnames were not widely used at that time. However, the given name Thomas is listed, indicating the name's presence in England during the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the THOM surname was found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Oxfordshire. Some notable historical figures with this surname include John Thom (c.1330-1400), a prominent merchant and alderman in London, and Sir Nicholas Thom (c.1460-1530), a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Henry VIII.

Other individuals of note bearing the THOM surname include William Thom (1799-1848), a Scottish writer and weaver known as the "Bard of Inverury"; James Thom (1801-1850), a Scottish sculptor and portrait painter; and James Thom (1858-1920), a British mathematician and educator who made significant contributions to the field of geometry.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the THOM surname was that of John Thom, who arrived in Virginia in 1638. Another early bearer was James Thom, who settled in New Jersey in 1685.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thom families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thom 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 717 Thoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.64x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 717 29.64x
Lanarkshire 476 5.63x
Angus 250 10.33x
Midlothian 213 6.09x
Ayrshire 160 8.18x
Banffshire 104 19.19x
Lancashire 70 0.23x
Perthshire 70 5.97x
Kincardineshire 49 15.40x
Fife 47 3.04x
Renfrewshire 47 2.32x
Stirlingshire 36 3.74x
Middlesex 35 0.13x
Argyllshire 29 3.99x
Northumberland 29 0.75x
West Lothian 29 7.37x
Surrey 28 0.22x
Clackmannanshire 23 10.66x
Morayshire 23 5.67x
Dunbartonshire 22 3.13x
Yorkshire 18 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 17 4.50x
Buteshire 15 9.48x
Dumfriesshire 14 2.43x
Roxburghshire 11 2.32x
Staffordshire 11 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.57x
Durham 8 0.10x
Gloucestershire 8 0.16x
Inverness-shire 8 1.03x
Berwickshire 7 2.21x
Westmorland 7 1.22x
Kent 6 0.07x
Monmouthshire 6 0.32x
Ross-shire 6 0.84x
Selkirkshire 6 2.54x
Derbyshire 5 0.12x
Devon 5 0.09x
Flintshire 5 0.71x
Hampshire 5 0.09x
Peeblesshire 5 4.07x
Channel Islands 4 0.52x
Cumberland 4 0.18x
East Lothian 4 1.16x
Wigtownshire 4 1.15x
Glamorgan 3 0.07x
Lincolnshire 3 0.07x
Norfolk 3 0.07x
Somerset 3 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.12x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.18x
Sussex 2 0.05x
Nairnshire 1 1.25x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Shropshire 1 0.04x
Warwickshire 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 155 Thoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.69x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 155 30.69x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 126 27.84x
Forfar 107 81.65x
Peterhead 95 74.25x
Govan 88 4.21x
Glasgow 82 5.47x
Barony 81 3.79x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 77 5.47x
New Monkland 59 23.62x
Old Monkland 44 13.12x
Bothwell 37 16.15x
Dundee 34 3.76x
Coylton 33 118.96x
South Leith 28 7.11x
North Leith 26 16.05x
Cambusnethan 25 13.32x
Longside 25 86.54x
Fyvie 20 50.66x
Huntly 20 50.81x
Maryhill 19 11.49x
Montrose 19 12.95x
Rattray 19 69.62x
St Fergus 19 138.79x
Stevenston 19 37.28x
Cullen 18 89.64x
Old Deer 18 39.26x
Elgin 17 21.53x
Abbey 16 5.18x
Gamrie 16 26.45x
Linlithgow 16 31.71x
St Vigeans 16 12.25x
Tarves 16 69.93x
Tillicoultry 16 33.34x
Grange 15 94.58x
Cumbrae 14 84.08x
Meldrum 14 68.69x
Benholm 13 95.17x
Falkirk 13 5.76x
Gartly 13 163.11x
Lonmay 13 59.20x
Dalmellington 12 20.87x
Forgue 12 55.22x
Inveresk 12 12.66x
Banff 11 23.37x
Fraserburgh 11 16.15x
Kilmarnock 11 4.73x
Muiravonside 11 44.95x
St Andrews 11 15.63x
Turriff 11 28.17x
Wolverhampton 11 1.62x
Carnwath 10 19.14x
Dunoon 10 66.84x
Glass 10 108.23x
Kilspindie 10 161.03x
Maybole 10 16.80x
Ochiltree 10 74.35x
Old Kilpatrick 10 12.05x
Alford 9 68.34x
Auckinleck 9 14.87x
Chapel Of Garioch 9 52.30x
Liff Benvie 9 2.45x
Monifieth 9 10.53x
Newport Pagnell 9 27.26x
Riccarton 9 30.52x
Westgate 9 3.74x
Brechin 8 8.41x
Cottingham 8 14.34x
Dumfries 8 14.05x
Dunnottar 8 35.75x
Edinburgh Old Church 8 28.47x
Insch 8 58.14x
Inverness 8 4.08x
Inverurie 8 29.24x
Irongray 8 113.96x
King Edward 8 28.69x
New Deer 8 18.26x
St Quivox 8 12.10x
Strathmiglo 8 43.29x
Uphall 8 18.49x
Willesden 8 3.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 12
Margaret 11
Sarah 8
Jane 7
Isabella 6
Ellen 5
Annie 4
Eliza 4
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Agnes 2
Bertha 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Ephemia 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Louisa 2
Maggie 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Alexandrina 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Bessy 1
Betty 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Hannah 1
Janet 1
Jennet 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lousa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
William 19
George 13
James 11
Arthur 6
Thomas 6
Henry 5
Walter 4
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Andrew 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Adam 1
Alexandra 1
Avery 1
Bruce 1
Colin 1
Edgar 1
Ephriam 1
Ethelbert 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Hy. 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Montagu 1
Oswald 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robert.W. 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1
Wm.E.G. 1

FAQ

Thom surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thom surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,699 people were recorded with the Thom surname. That placed it at #1,649 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thom surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,043 in 2016. That gives Thom a modern rank of #2,212.

What does the Thom surname mean?

Derived from the given name Thomas, which comes from the Aramaic for "twin."

What does the Thom map show?

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