NameCensus.

UK surname

Thomas

An English and Welsh patronymic surname meaning "son of Thomas," derived from the Aramaic personal name meaning "twin."

In the 1881 census there were 123,339 people recorded with the Thomas surname, ranking it #9 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162,356, also still ranked #9.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thomas is 167,122 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.6%.

1881 census count

123,339

Ranked #9

Modern count

162,356

2016, ranked #9

Peak year

2010

167,122 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thomas had 123,339 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162,356 in 2016, ranked #9.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159,380 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Thomas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thomas surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thomas 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 92,686 #7
1861 historical 96,903 #8
1881 historical 123,339 #9
1891 historical 132,601 #9
1901 historical 146,565 #9
1911 historical 159,380 #8
1997 modern 156,014 #9
1998 modern 161,963 #9
1999 modern 162,797 #9
2000 modern 162,657 #9
2001 modern 157,910 #9
2002 modern 160,820 #9
2003 modern 157,045 #9
2004 modern 157,404 #9
2005 modern 155,473 #9
2006 modern 156,290 #9
2007 modern 158,026 #9
2008 modern 159,107 #9
2009 modern 163,173 #9
2010 modern 167,122 #9
2011 modern 164,864 #9
2012 modern 161,177 #9
2013 modern 164,756 #9
2014 modern 165,275 #9
2015 modern 163,435 #9
2016 modern 162,356 #9

Geography

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Where Thomas' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Aberdare Glamorganshire
5 Llanelly Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire
2 Carmarthenshire 026 Carmarthenshire
3 Carmarthenshire 011 Carmarthenshire
4 Carmarthenshire 016 Carmarthenshire
5 Carmarthenshire 006 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thomas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thomas

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Thomas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Thomas 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Thomas 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

Thomas is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thomas falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thomas 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 Thomas, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Thomas

The surname THOMAS originated in England and traces its roots back to the 12th century. It is derived from the given name Thomas, which comes from the Aramaic name 'Toma' meaning 'twin'. The name was popularized in Europe after one of the twelve apostles of Christ bore the name.

THOMAS is believed to have emerged as a surname during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. As it became customary to adopt hereditary surnames, many individuals derived their last names from their given names or those of their ancestors. This surname is thought to have originated from the personal name of the father or an early ancestor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname THOMAS can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners in England after the Norman Conquest. The name appears in various spellings, such as Thomas, Tomas, and Tommes, reflecting the regional pronunciation variations at the time.

In the 13th century, the surname THOMAS appeared in several historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a Ralph Thomas was mentioned in 1230. Another early record is from the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, which listed a Richard Thomas in 1273.

Notable individuals with the surname THOMAS include:

1. Sir Rice ap Thomas (c. 1449-1531), a Welsh soldier and courtier who served under King Henry VII. 2. John Thomas (1805-1871), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 16th Governor of Maryland. 3. Theodore Thomas (1835-1905), an American violinist and conductor who founded the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. 4. Dylan Thomas (1914-1953), a renowned Welsh poet and writer, best known for his work "Under Milk Wood". 5. Clarence Thomas (born 1948), an American lawyer and jurist who has served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991.

The surname THOMAS has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Thomastown in Gloucestershire and Thomastown in Yorkshire, which may have influenced the development of the surname in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thomas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thomas 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. Glamorgan leads with 27,654 Thomas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.17x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 27,654 13.17x
Carmarthenshire 11,753 23.13x
Middlesex 6,864 0.57x
Lancashire 6,841 0.48x
Pembrokeshire 6,156 16.07x
Monmouthshire 5,360 6.15x
Cornwall 5,132 3.76x
Caernarfonshire 4,951 10.16x
Yorkshire 3,770 0.32x
Cardiganshire 3,705 12.60x
Gloucestershire 2,999 1.27x
Surrey 2,860 0.49x
Staffordshire 2,582 0.63x
Anglesey 2,433 11.39x
Shropshire 2,234 2.14x
Brecknockshire 2,199 9.12x
Denbighshire 2,108 4.63x
Kent 2,030 0.49x
Cheshire 1,851 0.70x
Devon 1,765 0.70x
Warwickshire 1,736 0.57x
Montgomeryshire 1,541 5.58x
Merionethshire 1,519 6.89x
Somerset 1,455 0.75x
Hampshire 1,211 0.49x
Flintshire 1,117 3.45x
Herefordshire 1,084 2.19x
Worcestershire 1,080 0.69x
Durham 937 0.26x
Sussex 865 0.43x
Essex 688 0.29x
Radnorshire 477 4.90x
Wiltshire 465 0.44x
Lanarkshire 431 0.11x
Dorset 333 0.42x
Berkshire 323 0.36x
Oxfordshire 320 0.43x
Derbyshire 268 0.14x
Cumberland 213 0.21x
Northumberland 197 0.11x
Hertfordshire 191 0.23x
Lincolnshire 172 0.09x
Norfolk 165 0.09x
Leicestershire 149 0.11x
Northamptonshire 146 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 139 0.09x
Royal Navy 122 0.85x
Channel Islands 118 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 106 0.15x
Midlothian 96 0.06x
Bedfordshire 91 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 86 0.11x
Suffolk 83 0.06x
Renfrewshire 50 0.05x
Perthshire 47 0.09x
Stirlingshire 41 0.09x
Ayrshire 39 0.04x
Angus 34 0.03x
Fife 27 0.04x
Isle of Man 27 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 23 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 22 0.07x
Aberdeenshire 15 0.01x
Dumfriesshire 13 0.05x
Westmorland 13 0.05x
West Lothian 12 0.07x
Inverness-shire 8 0.02x
Argyllshire 6 0.02x
Selkirkshire 6 0.06x
Buteshire 5 0.07x
Roxburghshire 4 0.02x
Clackmannanshire 3 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.02x
Morayshire 2 0.01x
Ross-shire 2 0.01x
Berwickshire 1 0.01x
East Lothian 1 0.01x
Kincardineshire 1 0.01x
Nairnshire 1 0.03x
Rutland 1 0.01x
Shetland 1 0.01x
Wigtownshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ystradyfodwg in Glamorgan leads with 2,702 Thomas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.67x.

Place Total Index
Ystradyfodwg 2,702 14.67x
Merthyr Tydfil 2,477 12.28x
Llanelly 2,409 21.05x
Aberdare 2,069 14.36x
Swansea Town 1,573 9.14x
Bedwellty 1,385 9.00x
Clase 1,319 16.90x
Llanwonno 1,070 14.19x
Carmarthen St Peter 926 21.32x
Llantrisant 773 14.61x
Islington London 753 0.64x
Llanguick 732 19.47x
Birmingham 719 0.71x
Eglwysilan 656 18.01x
Toxteth Park 656 1.35x
Llandilo Fawr 643 28.39x
Liverpool 639 0.74x
Swansea Higher 571 26.12x
Cwmdu 569 22.25x
Roath 568 5.96x
St Pancras London 559 0.58x
Cardiff St Mary 558 4.83x
Neath 554 12.97x
Gelligaer 544 11.35x
Llanllechid 542 15.81x
Everton 530 1.16x
Aston 523 0.62x
Lambeth 517 0.49x
Cardiff St John 507 7.39x
St Woollos 504 5.18x
Aberystruth 483 6.29x
Trevethin 439 5.33x
Briton Ferry 437 17.45x
Camberwell 437 0.57x
Hackney London 435 0.64x
Pembroke St Mary 428 8.67x
Llandaff 425 6.09x
Michaelstone Super Avon 420 18.48x
St Marylebone London 417 0.65x
Llanbeblig 415 8.39x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 413 1.86x
Llandebie 412 27.96x
Camborne 391 6.95x
Festiniog 389 8.36x
West Derby 388 0.93x
Bangor 381 8.10x
Llansamlet Higher 379 24.20x
Llangadock 370 26.42x
Kensington London 365 0.54x
Llanddeiniolen 362 12.70x
Margam 361 15.42x
Pembrey 348 14.89x
Holyhead 338 8.49x
Portsea 338 0.70x
Llantwit Vairdre 334 14.16x
Tenby St Mary In 331 16.97x
Wolverhampton 331 1.06x
Llandyssil 330 26.84x
Aberavon 329 17.03x
Shoreditch London 327 0.63x
Bedminster 320 1.75x
St Just In Penwith 312 11.78x
St John Near Swansea 311 11.98x
Mynyddyslwyn 300 8.73x
Kirkdale 298 1.24x
Swansea St Thomas 296 14.04x
Llandegai 295 19.77x
Amlwch 293 14.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 290 0.67x
Newington 288 0.65x
Llanllyfni 285 12.39x
Ruabon 285 4.55x
Llantwit Lower 282 15.28x
Llansamlet Lower 277 14.58x
Llanedy 270 28.21x
Llanfihangel Ar Arth 269 33.26x
Birkenhead 264 1.24x
Bethnal Green London 263 0.50x
Salford 263 0.63x
Manchester 261 0.41x
Lower Ystradgynlais 253 17.01x
West Ham 248 0.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10,283
Elizabeth 6,100
Sarah 4,047
Margaret 3,669
Ann 3,122
Jane 3,069
Catherine 1,513
Anne 1,499
Ellen 1,498
Hannah 1,456
Eliza 1,315
Martha 1,306
Annie 1,203
Emma 886
Alice 855
Emily 845
Rachel 756
Maria 565
Harriet 552
Edith 514
Louisa 514
Esther 454
Charlotte 404
Caroline 402
Fanny 357
Eleanor 355
Florence 342
Ada 334
Susan 331
Frances 314
Clara 289
Kate 284
Margret 266
Grace 254
Elizth. 245
Amelia 231
Agnes 229
Cathrine 222
Lucy 219
Anna 209
Rebecca 193
Ruth 185
Sophia 185
Margt. 182
Matilda 177
Laura 175
Amy 173
Jessie 168
Harriett 164
Gwenllian 162

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9,056
William 8,531
David 4,440
Thomas 4,303
James 2,712
George 2,248
Henry 1,913
Richard 1,608
Edward 1,534
Charles 1,303
Robert 1,246
Joseph 1,221
Evan 1,189
Daniel 790
Samuel 785
Alfred 767
Benjamin 697
Arthur 667
Frederick 547
Owen 507
Hugh 465
Lewis 405
Edwin 403
Walter 400
Albert 399
Wm. 393
Rees 354
Griffith 309
Isaac 289
Morgan 284
Herbert 270
Harry 263
Francis 235
Ernest 226
Frank 201
Thos. 173
Stephen 157
Peter 149
Jenkin 123
Edmund 117
Phillip 117
Fred 106
Joshua 103
Philip 97
Abraham 90
Tom 90
Josiah 89
Jno. 87
Elias 85
Sidney 85

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 Thomas households.

FAQ

Thomas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thomas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123,339 people were recorded with the Thomas surname. That placed it at #9 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thomas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162,356 in 2016. That gives Thomas a modern rank of #9.

What does the Thomas surname mean?

An English and Welsh patronymic surname meaning "son of Thomas," derived from the Aramaic personal name meaning "twin."

What does the Thomas map show?

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