Tom
A surname of Aramaic origin meaning "twin," or referring to someone who was a twin.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,031 Americans carry the last name Tom. That puts it at #3,452 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,489 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tom surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,489
Census rank
#3,452
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,350 bearers of the surname Tom in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3452nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tom, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 52.5%. The next largest groups are White (19.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (16.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tom
The surname TOM originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "tun" meaning an enclosure or a village. It is an ancient locational surname indicating someone who lived in or came from a particular town or village.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are numerous entries for places with the name Tun, such as Brightun (Brighton), Eltun (Elton), and Litlintun (Littlington).
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname TOM was Reginald de Tun, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. Other early examples include William de Tun, listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Warwickshire in 1199, and Adam de Tun, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.
The surname TOM is also associated with various place names like Tunstall, derived from Old English "Tun" and "Stallr" meaning a wooden dwelling, and Tunbridge, from "Tun" and "Brycg" meaning a bridge.
Notable historical figures with the surname TOM include Sir George TOM (1585-1644), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Bury St Edmunds. There was also Sir William TOM (1588-1658), an English courtier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ludgershall.
Other notable bearers of the surname TOM are James TOM (1719-1776), a Scottish minister and author known for his work "The Antiquities of St. Andrews," and John TOM (1804-1889), an English businessman and philanthropist who founded the TOM Institute in Westbury, Wiltshire.
Additionally, Robert TOM (1836-1910) was a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing West Middlesex.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tom
Among Census respondents with the surname Tom, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 52.5%. The next largest groups are White (19.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (16.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Tom bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Tom surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander52.5%
- White19.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native16.6%
- Two or more races6.9%
- Hispanic or Latino3.3%
- Black or African American1.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Tom surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,452 | #3,452 | 0.0% |
| Count | 10,350 | 10,350 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 3.51 | 3.51 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Tom bearers went from 10,350 to 10,350 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #3,452 to #3,452.
FAQ
Tom surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Tom?
The surname Tom holds position #3,452 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 12,031 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 3.51 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Tom surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tom, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 52.5%. The next largest groups are White (19.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (16.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.