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

Tomforde, 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 Tomforde surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tomforde in America

Tomforde is the 148347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tomforde surname appeared 111 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 Tomforde.

The history of the last name Tomforde

The surname Tomforde is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from a combination of the Old English words "tun" (meaning a farm or enclosed homestead) and "ford" (a shallow river crossing). This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a ford or river crossing near a farm or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tomforde can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, variations of the name such as "Tunforde" and "Tounforde" appear in various historical records and manuscripts from counties like Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. These variations likely reflect regional dialectal differences in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

In the 16th century, a notable individual named John Tomforde (c. 1510-1580) was a prominent landowner and member of the gentry class in the county of Kent. His ancestral seat was located in the village of Tenterden, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of his surname.

Another historical figure with the name was Sir Robert Tomforde (1580-1644), a member of the English Parliament and a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He was knighted by King Charles I in 1628 for his military service.

In the 18th century, a man named William Tomforde (1710-1782) was a renowned architect and builder who designed and constructed several notable churches and public buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Aldermary.

During the 19th century, a famous explorer and naturalist named James Tomforde (1815-1892) embarked on several expeditions to Africa and South America, where he documented numerous plant and animal species previously unknown to Western science.

It is worth noting that the name Tomforde has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England, such as the village of Tomforde in Somerset and the hamlet of Tomforde Green in Kent, further reinforcing its historical roots and geographical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tomforde

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

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 Tomforde 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.

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

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

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