TOMPKINS
The surname Tompkins is of English origin, deriving ultimately from the personal name Thomas, which itself derives from the Aramaic byname Teoma, meaning twin. The suffix -kin denotes a diminutive or “little” form, suggesting “little Thomas” or “son of Thomas.” Consequently the surname may be interpreted as either son of Thomas or descendant of Thomas.
Historical records show that the name has appeared under a variety of spellings, including Tomkin, Tompkin, Tompkins, Thomkins and Thompkins. The form is early medieval, being a patronymic based on the nickname Tom plus the diminutive suffix -kin and the patronymic suffix -s (a short form of “son”). The name Thomas itself is of biblical origin, and was borne by one of Christ’s disciples noted for his scepticism regarding the resurrection.
Prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066, the name Thomas was recorded in England only as a priest’s name. After the Crusades in the 12th century and a revival of Christian sentiment, the name entered widespread use. Two of the earliest Archbishops of York were named Thomas: Thomas of Bayeux, who died in 1100, and his nephew, who succeeded him and died in 1112.
The internal p that appears in the name is a dialectal insertion introduced to facilitate pronunciation. An early bearer of this diminutive patronymic was Geoffrey Tomkynes, who is recorded in the tax Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332. A later example appears in 1565, when Katherine Thompkins and Edward Bawdwin were married at the church of St. Mary Magdalene in London on 9 October.
Those who have borne the name have a heraldic entitlement of a blue field charged with a chevron between three gold cock pheasants. The crest is described as a unicorn’s head gorged with a chaplet of green laurel.
The earliest confirmed spelling of the family name is that of William Tumkyns, dated to 1327 in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire during the reign of King Edward III (1327–1377). This provides a firm chronological anchor for the surname’s recorded history in England.
Typical given names associated with the Tompkins surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
Female
- Alison
- Angela
- Caroline
- Emma
- Julie
- Linda
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Tompkins in...
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There are approximately 3,962 people named Tompkins in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,359th most common surname in Britain. Around 61 in a million people in Britain are named Tompkins.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Tompkins
- Richard Tompkins - Founder of Argos and Green Shield Stamps (1918 to 1992)
- Nick Tompkins - Rugby union player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.