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

Thompson, 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 Thompson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thompson in America

Thompson is the 23rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thompson surname appeared 664,644 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 225 people would have the surname Thompson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thompson 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 Thompson

The surname Thompson is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is a patronymic name derived from the given name Thomas, which comes from the Aramaic name Ta'oma, meaning "twin." The suffix "-son" was commonly added to create patronymic surnames in medieval England, indicating the bearer's family lineage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Thompson surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219, where it is spelled as "Tomas filius Thomae" (Thomas, son of Thomas). It is believed that the surname arose independently in various parts of England, particularly in the northern counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Northumberland.

In the 13th century, the surname Thompson is found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire (1273), where it is spelled as "Thomasune." This variation highlights the fluidity of spelling during that period, as surnames were still establishing their standardized forms.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain the surname Thompson. However, it does mention several individuals with the given name Thomas, indicating the potential for the surname's later development.

Notable historical figures with the surname Thompson include:

1. William Thompson (c. 1675-1737), an English-born poet and critic who was a key figure in the Augustan literary circle.
2. Benjamin Thompson (1753-1814), an American-born inventor and physicist, also known as Count Rumford, who made significant contributions to the fields of heat and energy.
3. William Butterworth Thompson (1805-1874), an English-born surveyor and explorer who conducted extensive surveys in British Columbia, Canada.
4. Sir John Sparrow David Thompson (1845-1894), a Canadian lawyer, teacher, and politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Canada from 1892 to 1894.
5. Hunter Stockton Thompson (1937-2005), an American journalist and author, known for his pioneering work in gonzo journalism and books like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

The surname Thompson has also been associated with various place names in England, including Thompsons Close in Berkshire, Thompson's Green in Hertfordshire, and Thompson Hill in Dorset. These place names likely derived from individuals with the Thompson surname who lived or held lands in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thompson

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

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 Thompson 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 Thompson 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 Thompson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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