TOMS
Toms is an English patronymic surname that signifies an ancestral link to a person named Thomas.
The personal name Thomas itself derives from the Aramaic byname Teoma, which means twin. The name was borne by one of the disciples of Christ and, following the Norman Conquest of 1066, it became one of the most frequently given Christian names in England.
Historical evidence of the surname in its early forms includes William Tom, recorded at Hornchurch Priory in 1245; Walter Thomas, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Wiltshire in 1275; and Hugo Tomas, found in the Assize Court Rolls of Kent in 1317. Later examples from the 17th century comprise Ann Tomas, who was christened in 1635 at St. Botolph without Aldgate in London, and Edmund Toms, who was christened on 1 July 1638 at Wandsworth in London. In the 18th century Peter Toms was noted as a painter and herald who became a member of the Royal Academy in 1768.
Records of the Office for National Statistics show that in 2018 Toms was the 327th most common surname in England and Wales and the 263rd most common name in Scotland. It is particularly prevalent in the southern part of England, especially within the counties of Devon and Cornwall. In the United States the surname is comparatively uncommon, ranking well outside the top one thousand in 2019, yet it can be found in large urban areas such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston and is especially frequent along the Gulf Coast, notably in Mississippi.
The suffix s in Toms indicates a patronymic form, meaning “son of Thomas.” Variants in English include Thomas, Tombs, Tomkiss, Tomson, and Tompson. In other languages the name takes different spellings, for example Tombe in Germany, Tomme in the Netherlands, and Tomso in Italy. Despite these orthographic differences, the underlying meaning of the surname remains consistent.
Although a few alternative etymological explanations exist—such as a derivation from the word tome meaning “a written record,” or from Old English elements meaning “dove,” “pond,” or “swift‑footed”—the most widely accepted and historically supported origin is the patronymic link to the given name Thomas.
Typical given names associated with the Toms surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Graham
- John
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Anne
- Carol
- Christine
- Claire
- Emma
- Jennifer
- Margaret
- Marjorie
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Thoms
- Thom
- Tamlyn
- Times
- Thomlinson
- Tomkinson
- Tomkin
- Tompson
- Thomson
- Thomerson
- Tomlinson
- Tompkins
- Thomason
- Thomas
- Tamplin
- Tompsett
- Taplin
- Tomes
- Tom
- Tombs
- Tomb
- Tome
- Tomas
- Thomes
- Tohme
- Tomaz
- Toma
- Thombs
- Tomi
- Thommes
- Thome
- Toams
- Tomis
- Tomsa
- Tomse
- Tomks
- Tomm
- Tommas
- Tommis
- Tomms
- Tomos
- Tomys
- Thomos
- Tomo
- Tomp
- Tomsey
- Tomsia
- Tomu
- Tomy
- Dimes
- Dumas
- Tams
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Toms in...
Braille
⠞⠕⠍⠎
Morse
------...
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Toms are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Caramel Digestive.
There are approximately 4,975 people named Toms in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,895th most common surname in Britain. Around 76 in a million people in Britain are named Toms.
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 Toms
- Kevin Toms - Video game designer
- Hubert Toms - Boxer (1894 to 1953)
- Carl Toms - Scenic designer (1927 to 1999)
- Gai Toms - Welsh singer-songwriter
- Wendy Toms - Football referee
- Marie Toms - Water skier
- Edward Toms - Sprinter (1899 to 1971)
- Frazer Toms - Football 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.