Find out how popular the last name Thome is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Thome.

Thome, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Thome surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thome in America

Thome is the 10189th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thome surname appeared 3,163 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Thome.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thome to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Thome

The surname Thome has its origins in medieval England, traced back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the medieval English personal name "Thomas," which itself comes from the Aramaic name "Toma," meaning "twin." The earliest recorded spelling of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, where it appears as "Thomas Thome."

Thome is a variant spelling of the more common surname "Thomas," reflecting regional pronunciation and dialect variations. In some areas, the "th" sound was pronounced as a "t," giving rise to the "Thome" spelling. This was particularly prevalent in parts of southern England, such as Dorset and Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Thome is William Thome, a prominent merchant and landowner from Bristol in the late 13th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties in the city and surrounding areas, reflecting the family's established status.

In the 14th century, the surname Thome appears in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a "Matilda Thome" is mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327 also reference a "John Thome," suggesting the name's presence in different regions of England.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Thome. However, it does record several individuals with the personal name "Thomas," which likely contributed to the eventual formation of the surname.

One notable figure bearing the surname Thome was John Thome, a 15th-century English clergyman and scholar. Born around 1420 in Somerset, he became a renowned theologian and was appointed the Chancellor of the University of Oxford in 1478.

Another prominent individual was Sir Robert Thome, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer. Born in Bristol around 1490, he was involved in early English attempts to find a northern passage to Asia and is credited with proposing the idea of sailing across the North Atlantic to reach the Orient.

In the 17th century, the surname Thome appears in various parish records and historical documents. For instance, the baptismal records of St. Mary's Church in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, mention a "William Thome" in 1612.

The 18th century saw the surname Thome further spread across England, with records indicating individuals bearing the name in counties such as Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire. One notable figure from this period was Richard Thome, a prominent lawyer and judge born in Wiltshire in 1728.

By the 19th century, the surname Thome had established itself as a recognizable English surname, with families bearing the name found across various parts of the country. One notable individual from this era was William Thome, a British artist and illustrator born in London in 1843, known for his detailed engravings and woodcuts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thome

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Thome.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Thome was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Thome has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Thome was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Thome, please contact us.

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