NameCensus.

UK surname

Thoma

A surname of Aramaic origin meaning "twin," derived from the Aramaic word "thoma" or the Greek equivalent "thomas."

In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Thoma surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 131, ranked #26,004, up from #31,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Gresford and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Waltham Forest and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thoma is 153 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 627.8%.

1881 census count

18

Ranked #31,019

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

1998

153 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thoma had 18 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 121 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Thoma surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thoma surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thoma 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 84 #23,058
1881 historical 18 #31,019
1891 historical 121 #21,169
1901 historical 15 #32,383
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 127 #24,121
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 122 #27,122
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 131 #26,004

Geography

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Where Thomas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Gresford, London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and Mylor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Waltham Forest, Manchester, Wycombe and Sutherland North and West. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Gresford Denbighshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 Mylor Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 029 Kirklees
2 Waltham Forest 005 Waltham Forest
3 Manchester 048 Manchester
4 Wycombe 009 Wycombe
5 Sutherland North and West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thoma

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thoma

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thoma, 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 Thoma surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Thoma 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Thoma 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

Thoma 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

Thoma falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thoma is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Thoma

The surname THOMA is of German origin, originating in the medieval period. It is derived from the personal name Thomas, which itself comes from the Aramaic name ????????? (Ta'oma') meaning "twin". The name Thomas became popular across Europe after being adopted by early Christians.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname THOMA can be found in German records from the 13th century. In the Codex Traditionum of the monastery of Zwiefalten, there is a reference to a Hermann dictus Thoma in the year 1271. The surname was prevalent in southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia.

THOMA is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who was the son of a man named Thomas. This practice of creating surnames from a father's given name was common in medieval times. Over time, the name evolved to include various spelling variations such as Thoman, Thome, and Thomann.

One notable individual with the surname THOMA was Johann Thoma (1468-1505), a German Renaissance painter known for his altarpieces and frescoes in churches across southern Germany. Another was the German mathematician and astronomer Rudolf Thoma (1576-1625), who made important contributions to the development of logarithms and the calculation of celestial orbits.

In the 16th century, the surname THOMA appeared in the records of the city of Augsburg, where a family of that name was prominent in the local guild of bakers. One member, Hans Thoma (1529-1591), served as the head of the bakers' guild and was a respected citizen of the city.

The 17th century saw the rise of the Thoma family in the German principality of Saxe-Coburg, where they held significant landholdings and positions of nobility. Johann Friedrich Thoma (1648-1726) was a prominent jurist and statesman in the service of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg.

As the surname spread across German-speaking regions, it also took root in other parts of Europe, including Switzerland and Austria. In the 18th century, the Swiss painter Henry Thoma (1734-1811) gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits, which are now held in various museums across Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thoma families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thoma 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. Surrey leads with 9 Thomas recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.52x.

County Total Index
Surrey 9 10.52x
Glamorgan 4 13.08x
Middlesex 4 2.28x
Carmarthenshire 1 13.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 8 Thomas recorded in 1881 and an index of 152.96x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 8 152.96x
Aberdare 4 190.48x
St Marylebone London 4 42.69x
Kidwelly 1 666.67x
Richmond 1 83.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Louise 2
Agada 1
Jane 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Fridolin 2
Charles 1
Conrad 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 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 Thoma households.

FAQ

Thoma surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thoma surname in 1881?

In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Thoma surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thoma surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Thoma a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Thoma surname mean?

A surname of Aramaic origin meaning "twin," derived from the Aramaic word "thoma" or the Greek equivalent "thomas."

What does the Thoma map show?

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