This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor, 'the son of Thomas.' Thomas or Thome (whence Tom) was a universal favourite. The 13th and 14th century registers teem with it; v. Tomlin, Tomlinson, Thomson, Thompson, Tomkins, Tomkinson, Tombs, &c. (a) Bapt. 'the son of Thomasin' (q.v). The two have become mixed.

Roger fil. Thomas, Cambridgeshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Richard Thomas, Suffolk, ibid.

Walter Thomas, Wiltshire, ibid.

William Thomas, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Adam Thomasson, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes Thomasson, 1379: ibid.

1582. Married — Thomas Bryse and Alyce Thomas: St. Michael, Cornhill.

— John Thome and Anne Thomasyne, widow: Marriage Lic. (London).

1801. Married — Thomas Wyatt and Nancy Thomason: St. George, Hanover Square.

1806. — John Baptiste Thomesin and Jane Prin: ibid.

A diminutive of Thomas, which see. Alexander Thome appears as vicar of Stracathro in 1433 and 1447 (REB, I, 60; II, 69), Jok Tom was tenant in Balgreschac, 1473 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 176), Andree Thome held a tenement in Glasgow before 1487, and reference is made in 1497 to the tenement of quondam Walter Thome there (REG, p. 453,476). A fourth part of the vill of Westirparsy was leased to Alexander Thome and his son Alexander Thome in 1485 (RAA, II, 259). William Thom was witness in Dundrennan in 1545 (Laing, 497), Alexander Thome had a tack of a fourth part of Cotzardis in 1555, and Johne Thome a tack of an eighth part of the lands of Wester Balbrogy at the same time (Cupar-Angus, II, p. 121,122). James Thome to stand in sackcloth for quarrelling in time of divine service, 1661 (Rec. Elgin, II, p. 293). Patrick Thome was merchant burgess of Edinburgh, 1673 (Retours, Edinburgh, 1205). In 1561 we have an instance of Thom as a forename in Thom Arnot, member of council of Stirling (SBR, p. 279). The founder of the Dublin printing house of Alexander Thom and Co. was a native of Aberdeen. Thom is also used as an Anglicized form of Macthóm, which see. Tom 1685.

A common Anglo-Norman personal name. It is from the Syriac te-oma', Heb, to'am 'twin,' rendered by Greek Didymus in St. John, XI: 16. In Gaelic it assumes the forms Tómar Támhus, hence the Gaelic patronymics Mactavish, Maccombie, and Macomie, which see. As a surname in Scotland it is of late introduction from England. Thomas filius Maldoueny attested a deed of middle of thirteenth century (Neubotle, p. 27).

A diminutive of Thomas, q.v.

Robert son Thome.—Hundred Rolls

“Twin” in Ancient Aramaic.

(English) Descendant of Thome, a pet form of Thomas (a twin).

The Christian name. Though not used here prior to the Norman Conquest, this has become one of the commonest of baptismal appellatives and surnames. It has also been a most abundant source of derivatives and nicknames, represented in our family nomenclature by Thomason, Thomerson, Thomson, Thompson, Tompson, Thom, Thoms, Toms, Thomaset, Thomsett, Tomset, Tompsett, Tomkin, Tompkins, Tomkinson, Thompkisson, Thomlin, Tomlin, Tomlins, Thomlinson, Tomlinson. In the North, A commonly replaces O, and hence Thampsett, Tampsett, Tamlyn, Tamplin, and probably Taplin.

AP THOMAS: (Welsh.) The son of Thomas.

(Hebrew.) A twin.

Thomas. —The great home of this name is in Wales, more especially in South Wales, whence the name has spread in numbers into the adjacent English county of Monmouthshire, and to a less extent into Herefordshire and Shropshire. In the English counties forming the next line, it has, if we exclude Gloucestershire, obtained but little hold. Its further advance into England has been on a small scale, and it is probable that its isolated occurrence in the distant counties of Essex, Yorkshire, etc., may be explained on independent grounds. It has, however, a secondary but evidently an original home in Cornwall, where the name abounds.