NameCensus.

UK surname

Toms

Derived from the given name Thomas, meaning "twin" in Aramaic, or referring to someone who was a twin.

In the 1881 census there were 2,315 people recorded with the Toms surname, ranking it #1,924 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,456, ranked #1,966, down from #1,924 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Martin and Winfrith Newburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and West Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Toms is 3,698 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.3%.

1881 census count

2,315

Ranked #1,924

Modern count

3,456

2016, ranked #1,966

Peak year

1999

3,698 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Toms had 2,315 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,924 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,456 in 2016, ranked #1,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,436 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Toms surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Toms surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Toms 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 1,554 #1,846
1861 historical 1,405 #2,037
1881 historical 2,315 #1,924
1891 historical 2,497 #1,895
1901 historical 3,108 #1,799
1911 historical 3,436 #1,528
1997 modern 3,536 #1,831
1998 modern 3,694 #1,822
1999 modern 3,698 #1,840
2000 modern 3,637 #1,866
2001 modern 3,544 #1,869
2002 modern 3,640 #1,862
2003 modern 3,500 #1,888
2004 modern 3,528 #1,874
2005 modern 3,455 #1,886
2006 modern 3,428 #1,899
2007 modern 3,510 #1,875
2008 modern 3,487 #1,903
2009 modern 3,552 #1,921
2010 modern 3,638 #1,919
2011 modern 3,597 #1,917
2012 modern 3,504 #1,927
2013 modern 3,561 #1,930
2014 modern 3,551 #1,945
2015 modern 3,492 #1,955
2016 modern 3,456 #1,966

Geography

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Where Toms' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Martin, Winfrith Newburgh and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and West Devon. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Martin Cornwall
4 Winfrith Newburgh Dorset
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 037 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 048 Cornwall
4 West Devon 005 West Devon
5 Cornwall 036 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Toms

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Toms

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Toms, 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 Toms surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Toms 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Toms is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Toms is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Toms 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 Toms 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 Toms, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Toms

The surname Toms has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the medieval English name Thomas, which itself comes from the Aramaic name "Te'oma" meaning "twin". The name Thomas was popular among Christians as it was the name of one of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Toms can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Toma". This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 11th century in England. The name was likely initially used as a patronymic, meaning "son of Thomas".

In the 13th century, records show the surname spelled as "Tommes" and "Tomes" in various parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Oxfordshire. These variations in spelling were common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

A notable figure bearing the surname Toms was John Toms (c. 1550-1644), an English writer and clergyman who served as the rector of Yelvertoft in Northamptonshire. Another early bearer of the name was Robert Toms (c. 1590-1672), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1648.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Toms could also be found in various place names across England, such as Toms Farm in Oxfordshire and Toms Hill in Somerset. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Toms surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Toms include William Toms (1788-1869), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes, and Sir Barnes Toms (1809-1895), an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Bahamas.

Throughout its history, the surname Toms has maintained a strong presence in England and has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, and it has been associated with various figures and locations across England over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Toms families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Toms 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. Cornwall leads with 414 Toms' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.18x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 414 16.18x
Devon 361 7.67x
Middlesex 294 1.30x
Dorset 216 14.56x
Hampshire 159 3.43x
Surrey 159 1.44x
Kent 106 1.37x
Hertfordshire 76 4.88x
Lancashire 49 0.18x
Gloucestershire 46 1.04x
Buckinghamshire 40 2.93x
Somerset 39 1.07x
Essex 37 0.83x
Glamorgan 36 0.91x
Berkshire 35 2.06x
Warwickshire 31 0.54x
Northamptonshire 30 1.41x
Nottinghamshire 23 0.75x
Sussex 23 0.60x
Oxfordshire 19 1.36x
Yorkshire 17 0.08x
Worcestershire 14 0.47x
Angus 11 0.53x
Bedfordshire 11 0.94x
Channel Islands 9 1.34x
Monmouthshire 9 0.55x
Staffordshire 9 0.12x
Durham 5 0.07x
Huntingdonshire 5 1.11x
Kincardineshire 5 1.82x
Northumberland 5 0.15x
Derbyshire 4 0.11x
Royal Navy 4 1.49x
Brecknockshire 3 0.66x
Leicestershire 3 0.12x
Wiltshire 3 0.15x
Shropshire 2 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.07x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Suffolk 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. East Looe in Cornwall leads with 55 Toms' recorded in 1881 and an index of 529.87x.

Place Total Index
East Looe 55 529.87x
St Pancras London 42 2.31x
Winfrith Newburgh 41 551.08x
Plymouth Charles The 40 19.30x
Plymouth St Andrew 40 11.04x
Lambeth 34 1.73x
Christchurch 28 27.87x
Islington London 27 1.23x
Southampton St Mary 26 8.92x
St Austell 25 28.58x
Battersea 24 2.89x
St Cleer 24 108.16x
Stoke Damerel 23 6.98x
Croydon 22 3.60x
Modbury 22 183.03x
Shoreditch London 22 2.25x
Abbotsbury 21 277.41x
Amersham 20 103.25x
Kensington London 19 1.51x
Nottingham St Mary 19 2.41x
Calstock 18 35.87x
Duloe 18 240.00x
Broughton In Salford 17 6.93x
Newington 17 2.04x
Cheltenham 16 4.68x
Hackney London 16 1.26x
Aveton Gifford 15 220.26x
Barnstaple 15 20.31x
Bushey 14 37.75x
Camberwell 14 0.97x
Falmouth 14 15.46x
Frilsham 14 869.57x
Lewisham 14 3.40x
St Germans 14 78.43x
St Marylebone London 14 1.16x
Fowey 13 110.73x
Portsea 13 1.43x
Talland 13 215.59x
West Looe 13 192.88x
Buckland In Dover 12 46.97x
Clerkenwell London 12 2.25x
Coventry St Michael 12 6.55x
Deptford St Paul 12 2.02x
Enfield 12 8.09x
Exeter St Thomas The 12 25.02x
Tormoham 12 6.03x
West Ham 12 1.22x
Bere Regis 11 110.78x
Dundee 11 1.41x
Illogan 11 16.24x
Lanteglos By Fowey 11 105.67x
Portisham 11 199.28x
Ryde 11 11.05x
Sopley 11 172.68x
Swanage 11 60.08x
Berrynarbor 10 186.92x
Cardiff St Mary 10 4.61x
Churston Ferrers 10 202.43x
Dewlish 10 280.11x
Fulham London 10 3.05x
Hemel Hempstead 10 14.25x
Leyton Low 10 11.03x
Northwood 10 15.16x
Tintagel 10 143.68x
Toxteth Park 10 1.10x
Winterborne St Martin 10 300.30x
Bethnal Green London 9 0.92x
Blaenhonddan 9 49.13x
Chelsea London 9 1.32x
Irchester 9 68.18x
Menheniot 9 84.75x
Mile End Old Town 9 2.52x
Northampton Priory St 9 7.06x
Probus 9 85.80x
Radipole 9 87.89x
South Molton 9 34.82x
Stevenage 9 37.27x
Uny Lelant 9 65.08x
Wanstead 9 11.52x
West Firle 9 203.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 161
Elizabeth 97
Sarah 57
Jane 47
Emma 43
Eliza 39
Annie 32
Emily 32
Ellen 31
Ann 30
Alice 26
Susan 24
Maria 23
Charlotte 18
Fanny 18
Martha 18
Louisa 17
Hannah 15
Edith 14
Harriet 14
Caroline 13
Florence 13
Lucy 13
Amelia 11
Catherine 11
Margaret 11
Ada 10
Bessie 10
Elizth. 10
Kate 9
Anne 8
Agnes 7
Harriett 7
Susannah 7
Amy 6
Rhoda 6
Rose 6
Frances 5
Jessie 5
Julia 5
Lavinia 5
Lydia 5
Maud 5
Rebecca 5
Sophia 5
Betsy 4
Ethel 4
Evelyn 4
Grace 4
Selina 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 182
John 141
George 72
James 57
Henry 54
Charles 47
Thomas 47
Joseph 39
Alfred 37
Frederick 35
Richard 30
Edward 29
Albert 24
Francis 23
Robert 22
Walter 22
Arthur 21
Harry 21
Edwin 15
Frank 13
Samuel 12
Nicholas 7
David 5
Ernest 5
Fredrick 5
Percy 5
Sidney 5
Alexander 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Isaac 4
Phillip 4
Chas. 3
Geo. 3
Horace 3
Jonathan 3
Josiah 3
Luke 3
Nathaniel 3
Anthony 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
E. 2
Fredk. 2
Fredk.J. 2
Leopold 2
Lewis 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Saml. 2

FAQ

Toms surname: questions and answers

How common was the Toms surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,315 people were recorded with the Toms surname. That placed it at #1,924 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Toms surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,456 in 2016. That gives Toms a modern rank of #1,966.

What does the Toms surname mean?

Derived from the given name Thomas, meaning "twin" in Aramaic, or referring to someone who was a twin.

What does the Toms map show?

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