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

Tomes, 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 Tomes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tomes in America

Tomes is the 10462nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tomes surname appeared 3,073 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 Tomes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tomes 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 Tomes

The surname Tomes is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "tom," meaning "empty" or "vacant." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in an empty or deserted place, such as a town or village that had been abandoned.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tomes can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a historical record from the late 13th century. This document mentions a person named William Tomes, indicating that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Tome," "Tume," and "Toume." These variations likely resulted from the inconsistent spelling practices of the era. In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a man named John Tome is listed as a taxpayer, providing further evidence of the name's presence in different parts of England.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Tomes throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was Robert Tomes (c. 1500 - 1560), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral during the tumultuous years of the English Reformation.

In the 17th century, there was Sir John Tomes (1609 - 1673), a prominent English landowner and politician who represented Oxfordshire in the Parliament of England. He played a significant role in the events leading up to the English Civil War.

John Tomes (1815 - 1895) was a renowned English dentist and dental surgeon who made substantial contributions to the field of dental anatomy and pathology. His works, such as "A Course of Lectures on Dental Physiology and Surgery," became influential textbooks in the 19th century.

Another noteworthy figure was Robert Tomes (1782 - 1828), an English engraver and illustrator known for his intricate engravings of natural history subjects. His illustrations were featured in various scientific publications of the time.

In the 20th century, Sir John Cockcroft Tomes (1901 - 1967) was a distinguished British lawyer and civil servant who served as the Governor of Bombay from 1954 to 1960. His tenure coincided with the final years of British rule in India.

The surname Tomes has been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Tomes Hill in Gloucestershire and Tomes Lane in Oxfordshire. These locations may have derived their names from individuals bearing the surname or vice versa, reflecting the deep-rooted connection between surnames and geographic locations in the country's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tomes

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

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

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

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