NameCensus.

UK surname

Thompkins

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Thomas, meaning "son of Thomas" or "descendant of Thomas."

In the 1881 census there were 85 people recorded with the Thompkins surname, ranking it #21,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, down from #21,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, St Leonard Shoreditch and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, South Tyneside and Surrey Heath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thompkins is 133 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.3%.

1881 census count

85

Ranked #21,573

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

2015

133 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thompkins had 85 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 104 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Thompkins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thompkins surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thompkins 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 85 #21,573
1891 historical 89 #25,542
1901 historical 86 #24,508
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 129 #23,722
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 123 #26,512
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 133 #25,729
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Thompkins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, St Leonard Shoreditch, Gateshead, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Buckingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, South Tyneside, Surrey Heath and Haringey. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Buckingham Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 027 Bradford
2 South Tyneside 009 South Tyneside
3 Surrey Heath 006 Surrey Heath
4 Haringey 001 Haringey
5 South Tyneside 007 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thompkins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thompkins

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Thompkins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Thompkins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Thompkins is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thompkins is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thompkins falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thompkins 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Thompkins

The surname Thompkins has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "tun" and "mann," meaning "town" and "man," respectively, likely referring to someone who lived in a town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Tonemannes," reflecting its evolution from the Old English words.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname was commonly spelled as "Touneman" or "Towneman," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling at the time. As time progressed, the spelling evolved to its more modern form, "Thompkins."

Notable historical figures with the surname Thompkins include Sir William Thompkins (1542-1609), a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the Elizabethan era. Another noteworthy individual was John Thompkins (1660-1728), an influential Quaker leader and writer who played a significant role in the early history of Pennsylvania.

In the literary world, the name is associated with the poet and essayist William Thompkins (1714-1788), whose works often explored themes of nature and the human condition. His contemporary, Mary Thompkins (1730-1799), was a renowned botanist and author of several influential books on plant life.

The 18th century also saw the rise of Sir Robert Thompkins (1765-1834), a prominent British naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars, earning numerous honors and accolades for his bravery and leadership.

Throughout its history, the surname Thompkins has been associated with various locations and place names, reflecting the migrations and settlements of its bearers. Some examples include the village of Thompkins Green in Oxfordshire and the town of Thompkinston in Wiltshire, both of which likely derived their names from early Thompkins residents or landowners.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thompkins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thompkins 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. Middlesex leads with 28 Thompkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 3.38x
Buckinghamshire 10 19.95x
Sussex 6 4.29x
Dorset 5 9.19x
Hertfordshire 5 8.75x
Northamptonshire 5 6.41x
Northumberland 5 4.05x
Surrey 5 1.24x
Lincolnshire 3 2.26x
Bedfordshire 2 4.66x
Essex 2 1.22x
Warwickshire 2 0.96x
Berkshire 1 1.61x
Cheshire 1 0.55x
Derbyshire 1 0.77x
Gloucestershire 1 0.62x
Kent 1 0.35x
Lancashire 1 0.10x
Yorkshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Buckingham in Buckinghamshire leads with 10 Thompkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 980.39x.

Place Total Index
Buckingham 10 980.39x
Islington London 10 12.44x
Shoreditch London 10 27.82x
Arundel 5 641.03x
Northampton Priory St 5 106.84x
Portland 5 170.65x
Berwick Upon Tweed 3 114.94x
Morton In Gainsborough 3 1153.85x
Bermondsey 2 8.10x
Birmingham 2 2.87x
Hanworth 2 689.66x
Kensington London 2 4.34x
Leyton Low 2 60.06x
St Albans St Peter 2 103.63x
Toddington 2 322.58x
Tynemouth 2 30.26x
Watford 2 45.15x
Brighton 1 3.55x
Fairfield 1 114.94x
Hurdsfield 1 88.50x
Hurst 1 123.46x
Lambeth 1 1.38x
Liverpool 1 1.67x
Meopham 1 285.71x
Rawmarsh 1 34.48x
Southwark Christchurch 1 25.77x
St George Hanover 1 9.24x
St Marylebone London 1 2.26x
St Pancras London 1 1.50x
Stapleton 1 32.47x
Totteridge 1 555.56x
Walton On Thames 1 54.05x
Whitechapel London 1 12.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Mary 6
Alice 3
Louisa 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Liser 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Edna 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Kate 1
Patience 1
Phoebe 1
Rose 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Thompkins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thompkins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 85 people were recorded with the Thompkins surname. That placed it at #21,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thompkins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Thompkins a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Thompkins surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Thomas, meaning "son of Thomas" or "descendant of Thomas."

What does the Thompkins map show?

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