NameCensus.

UK surname

Thomlinson

A name derived from a diminutive form of Thomas, meaning "twin".

In the 1881 census there were 549 people recorded with the Thomlinson surname, ranking it #6,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 459, ranked #10,668, down from #6,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, Manchester and Acomb. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thomlinson is 678 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.4%.

1881 census count

549

Ranked #6,284

Modern count

459

2016, ranked #10,668

Peak year

1901

678 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thomlinson had 549 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 459 in 2016, ranked #10,668.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 678 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Thomlinson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thomlinson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Thomlinson 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 370 #6,426
1861 historical 413 #6,216
1881 historical 549 #6,284
1891 historical 621 #6,225
1901 historical 678 #6,439
1911 historical 669 #6,294
1997 modern 485 #9,512
1998 modern 493 #9,702
1999 modern 485 #9,900
2000 modern 487 #9,819
2001 modern 472 #9,873
2002 modern 462 #10,217
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 434 #10,619
2005 modern 444 #10,315
2006 modern 445 #10,319
2007 modern 450 #10,335
2008 modern 443 #10,559
2009 modern 465 #10,393
2010 modern 472 #10,488
2011 modern 456 #10,676
2012 modern 435 #10,959
2013 modern 463 #10,602
2014 modern 472 #10,525
2015 modern 461 #10,636
2016 modern 459 #10,668

Geography

Back to top

Where Thomlinsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Carlisle St Cuthbert, Manchester, Acomb, Dalston and Hesket-in-the-Forest. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale and Carlisle. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Acomb Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Dalston Cumberland
5 Hesket-in-the-Forest Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 002 Allerdale
2 Carlisle 001 Carlisle
3 Carlisle 013 Carlisle
4 Carlisle 007 Carlisle
5 Carlisle 010 Carlisle

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Thomlinson

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Thomlinson

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Thomlinson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Thomlinson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Thomlinson 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

Thomlinson 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

Thomlinson falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Thomlinson

The surname Thomlinson is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the northern counties of England, particularly Northumberland and County Durham. The name is thought to be derived from a combination of two Old English words, "tun" meaning a farm or settlement, and "ling" referring to a meadow or pasture. Thus, Thomlinson likely referred to someone who resided in a settlement or farm located in a meadow or grassy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1242, where a Robert de Thomlynton is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have evolved from a place name, possibly a location called Thomlynton or a similar variation. The Thomlinson family is also believed to have held lands in the village of Blanchland, near Northumberland, during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as Thomlynson, Thomelynson, and Thomlyngson, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that era. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a Roger de Thomlynton, while the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 mention a Johannes Thomlynson.

One notable historical figure bearing the Thomlinson surname was Matthew Thomlinson (1617-1684), a wealthy English merchant and landowner from Newcastle upon Tyne. He played a significant role in the coal trade and helped finance the construction of several churches in the region. Another prominent individual was Robert Thomlinson (1668-1748), a Member of Parliament for Steyning and a successful merchant and landowner in County Durham.

In the 17th century, the Thomlinson family established themselves as influential landowners and industrialists in the North East of England. John Thomlinson (1639-1697), a successful merchant and landowner, acquired the estate of Blencogo in Cumberland. His grandson, Richard Thomlinson (1708-1778), was a prominent industrialist and ironmaster, contributing to the growth of the iron industry in the region.

Another noteworthy figure was William Thomlinson (1798-1867), a civil engineer and surveyor who worked on various railway projects in England and Scotland. He was instrumental in the construction of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway and the Hawick Railway.

Throughout its history, the surname Thomlinson has been associated with various places and locations, such as Thomlinson's Close in Newcastle upon Tyne, Thomlinson's Croft in Northumberland, and Thomlinson's Hill in Cumbria. These place names serve as reminders of the family's historical roots and their influence in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Thomlinson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thomlinson 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. Cumberland leads with 176 Thomlinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.59x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 176 38.59x
Yorkshire 125 2.38x
Lancashire 117 1.86x
Lanarkshire 26 1.52x
Staffordshire 25 1.40x
Worcestershire 15 2.17x
Middlesex 11 0.21x
Bedfordshire 10 3.65x
Durham 9 0.57x
Hampshire 5 0.46x
Cheshire 4 0.34x
Devon 4 0.36x
Essex 3 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.42x
Berkshire 2 0.50x
Northumberland 2 0.25x
Angus 1 0.20x
Fife 1 0.32x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Westmorland 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldewgate in Cumberland leads with 28 Thomlinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 112.04x.

Place Total Index
Caldewgate 28 112.04x
St Cuthbert W O 25 112.46x
Hesket In Forest 14 393.26x
Oldbury 14 41.14x
Aikton 13 902.78x
Govan 13 3.07x
Wighill 13 2888.89x
Acomb 12 437.96x
Barony 12 2.77x
Orton 12 1463.41x
Dalston 11 312.50x
Warwick 11 1896.55x
Bedford St Paul 10 53.16x
Dalston Buckabank 10 1086.96x
Everton 10 4.99x
Broughton In Salford 9 15.66x
Darrington 9 937.50x
Wetheral 9 149.01x
Liversedge 8 34.23x
Manchester 8 2.83x
Thornton In Fylde 8 58.18x
Walton On Hill 8 23.49x
Warrington 8 10.74x
Burton Upon Trent 7 16.73x
Sheffield 7 4.19x
Stretford 7 20.24x
Copmanthorpe 6 1071.43x
Keyingham 6 521.74x
Salford 6 3.25x
Wavertree 6 29.82x
Wednesbury 6 13.43x
Worsley 6 15.49x
Bilton In Wetherby 5 1162.79x
Cockermouth 5 52.08x
Cowthorpe 5 2173.91x
Crosscanonby 5 33.16x
Halewood 5 148.37x
Portsea 5 2.35x
Preston 5 2.97x
Sedgley 5 7.53x
Skelton 5 378.79x
Tadcaster West 5 120.19x
Toxteth Park 5 2.35x
Bramhall 4 82.64x
Garston 4 21.56x
Gateshead 4 3.39x
Halliwell 4 17.49x
Holbeck 4 11.50x
Kirkleatham 4 56.42x
Little Eccleston With 4 1111.11x
Long Marston 4 606.06x
Oxton 4 5000.00x
Rickergate 4 41.45x
Rotherham 4 13.52x
St Pancras London 4 0.94x
Stoke Damerel 4 5.18x
West Derby 4 2.18x
Ainstable 3 365.85x
Bromfield 3 434.78x
Great Little Marsden 3 10.42x
Hackney London 3 1.01x
Nether Hallam 3 4.22x
Redcar 3 72.12x
Smallthorne 3 45.18x
South Duffield 3 857.14x
St Cuthbert W O Carleton 3 240.00x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 12.31x
West Ham 3 1.30x
York St Mary 3 13.80x
Bray 2 17.12x
Brinsworth 2 82.30x
Bromley London 2 1.72x
Leek Lowe 2 8.41x
Limehouse London 2 3.44x
Ratcliffe On Soar 2 769.23x
South Blyth Newsham 2 129.03x
Stanwix 2 54.20x
Tockwith 2 192.31x
Whitworth 2 17.33x
York St Maurice 2 20.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 23
Annie 16
Margaret 14
Hannah 13
Jane 13
Ann 11
Sarah 11
Frances 8
Ellen 6
Isabella 6
Alice 5
Eliza 5
Agnes 4
Emily 4
Amy 3
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Esther 2
Helen 2
Jessie 2
Louisa 2
Maggie 2
Maria 2
Dorothy 1
Eliz. 1
Emaly 1
Ethel 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Helener 1
Joanna 1
Johanna 1
Laura 1
Lawrence 1
Lillian 1
Lydia 1
Madeline 1
Mana 1
Marg. 1
Wm. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 30
William 30
Joseph 23
Thomas 23
Robert 22
James 15
George 8
Henry 7
Charles 6
Edward 6
Frederick 4
Jacob 4
Matthew 4
Harry 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Charlie 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Mathew 2
Reubn 2
Sidney 2
W. 2
Willm. 2
Alfred 1
Aron 1
Ben. 1
Ceaser 1
Charley 1
Christopher 1
Clarance 1
Edmund 1
Ezra 1
Fred 1
Geo.A. 1
Geo.Alf. 1
Henery 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Ripley 1
Robt. 1
Wm.Ramsey 1

FAQ

Thomlinson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thomlinson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 549 people were recorded with the Thomlinson surname. That placed it at #6,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thomlinson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 459 in 2016. That gives Thomlinson a modern rank of #10,668.

What does the Thomlinson surname mean?

A name derived from a diminutive form of Thomas, meaning "twin".

What does the Thomlinson map show?

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