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

Tomah, 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 Tomah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tomah in America

Tomah is the 98099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tomah surname appeared 185 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Tomah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tomah 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 Tomah

The surname Tomah originates from the Native American Sioux tribe and can be traced back to the early 17th century in the region now known as the state of Wisconsin, United States. The name is derived from the Sioux word "tomi," which means "town" or "village," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived in or near a significant settlement.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Tomah surname can be found in the French missionary records from the late 1600s, where it appears as "Tomeah" or "Tomeau." These variations likely stem from the French transliteration of the Sioux word, as French explorers and traders were among the first Europeans to interact with the Sioux tribes.

In the early 19th century, the name gained more prominence with the birth of Chief Tomah (c. 1805 - 1876), a prominent leader of the Ho-Chunk Nation (also known as the Winnebago tribe). He was known for his efforts to negotiate treaties and preserve the lands and traditions of his people during a period of increasing conflict with European settlers.

Another notable individual bearing the Tomah surname was John Tomah (1826 - 1901), a Ho-Chunk interpreter and guide who played a crucial role in facilitating communication between Native American tribes and the United States government during the tumultuous years of westward expansion.

The city of Tomah, Wisconsin, established in 1857, was named after the nearby Tomah Creek, which itself was named after Chief Tomah or another individual with the same surname. This connection to a place name further solidifies the historical significance of the Tomah surname in the region.

In the late 19th century, the Tomah surname appeared in various government records and census data, reflecting the gradual integration of Native American communities into the broader American society. One notable figure from this period was William Tomah (1868 - 1938), a Ho-Chunk artist and craftsman known for his intricate beadwork and woodcarvings.

Throughout the 20th century, the Tomah surname continued to be carried by numerous individuals of Native American descent, many of whom played important roles in preserving their cultural heritage and advocating for the rights of indigenous communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tomah

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

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

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

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