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

Toms, 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 Toms surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Toms in America

Toms is the 6764th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Toms surname appeared 4,986 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Toms.

We can also compare 2010 data for Toms 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 Toms

The surname Toms has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the medieval English name Thomas, which itself comes from the Aramaic name "Te'oma" meaning "twin". The name Thomas was popular among Christians as it was the name of one of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Toms can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Toma". This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 11th century in England. The name was likely initially used as a patronymic, meaning "son of Thomas".

In the 13th century, records show the surname spelled as "Tommes" and "Tomes" in various parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Oxfordshire. These variations in spelling were common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

A notable figure bearing the surname Toms was John Toms (c. 1550-1644), an English writer and clergyman who served as the rector of Yelvertoft in Northamptonshire. Another early bearer of the name was Robert Toms (c. 1590-1672), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1648.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Toms could also be found in various place names across England, such as Toms Farm in Oxfordshire and Toms Hill in Somerset. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Toms surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Toms include William Toms (1788-1869), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes, and Sir Barnes Toms (1809-1895), an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Bahamas.

Throughout its history, the surname Toms has maintained a strong presence in England and has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, and it has been associated with various figures and locations across England over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Toms

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

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

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

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