Surname Thomas - Meaning and Origin

Thomas: What does the surname Thomas mean?

The last name 'Thomas' is derived from the Aramaic personal name תאומא (ta'oma'), meaning 'twin'. The name was popular in the Middle Ages, given in honor of Saint Thomas the Apostle, reputed to be a twin of Jesus Christ. As a surname, it was often given to a twin or the second son in a family. The name spread throughout Europe, particularly in England, after the Norman Conquest, and later, to other parts of the world through colonization and slavery. There are a variety of spellings of the name depending on the country, such as Tomas, Tommasi, Thomassen, and others. Some famous people with the surname Thomas include American preacher and civil rights activist Clarence Thomas, Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, and American inventor and businessman Dave Thomas. In sum, the surname Thomas has religious origins and signifies the notion of a 'twin' or 'second son'.

Thomas: Where does the name Thomas come from?

The surname Thomas is derived from the Biblical name "Thomas," which is of Aramaic origin and means "twin". This name was popular in the Middle Ages, largely due to its association with Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. The surname signifies "son of Thomas" and was originally used by individuals living in the Middle East, before spreading to Europe during the Crusades.

Today, the surname is most prevalent in the United States, making it one of the most common last names in the country. It has a significant presence among African-Americans due to the practice of enslaved Africans adopting the last names of their masters post-emancipation. It is also common in England, especially in Glamorgan, a county in Wales where it's the most common surname. Other countries where the name is relatively prevalent include Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The spelling remains the same in many languages, but variations such as Thomassen in Dutch and Norwegian, and Thomason in Swedish, can be found.

Variations of the surname Thomas

The surname Thomas has numerous variants and related surnames across the globe due to its Christian link. It is derived from the Biblical name of Aramaic origins that means 'twin'. In Middle English, the name is spelled as Thom, Thoma, or Tomas. It is also represented as Tom, Tommy, and Tommie in its diminutive forms.

Variations of Thomas can be found in different languages such as Tomás in Spanish and Portuguese, Tommaso in Italian, Toma in Romanian, Thomassen in Dutch, and Tuomas in Finnish. Similar to that we have Tomasson, Tomason, Thompson and Thomson, where “son” implies “son of Thomas.”

Feminine variants include Thomasina, Tamsin, and Tommie. Surnames related to Thomas include Thomasson, Thomassen, Thomason, and Thompson. In Welsh, it is rendered as 'ap Thomas' (meaning 'son of Thomas') where 'ap' signifies 'son of’. This has been reduced in many names to simply 'P', hence the surname Preece (ap Rhys) and Upson (ap Thomas). The French version of the name is Thomason or Thomasset.

It should be noted that there are still many more variations and combinations since personal names transform considerably as they move between languages and cultures.

Famous people with the name Thomas

• Noah Thomas: American actor who voiced the character Liam in the animated series “Elena of Avalor”.
• Bob Thomas: American actor and screenwriter known for his credits in “The Man Who Knew Too Much”, “The Land Unknown”, and “The Finding of the Lost City”.
• Emma Thomas: British film producer and principal partner at Syncopy Inc. She is best known for producing some of Christopher Nolan’s biggest films, such as “The Dark Knight” and “Inception”.
• David Thomas: American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.
• Isaiah Thomas: American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Orlando Magic.
• Roy Thomas: American comic book writer and editor, known for his work on Marvel Comics titles such as “The Avengers” and “X-Men”.
• Joe Thomas: American singer and songwriter, known for his hit singles “I’m Comin’ Home”, “All That I Am”, and “What Would Joe Do?”.
• Dave Thomas: Canadian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the fast food chain Wendy’s.
• Mary Thomas: American actress who starred in films such as “The Parent Trap”, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Gulliver’s Travels”.
• Frank Thomas: American baseball player and Hall of Fame inductee who spent most of his 19-year career with the Chicago White Sox.

Other surnames

ThomaThomäThomaeThomaierThomalaThomaleThomalinThomallaThomalleThomanThomandlThomaneckThomanekThomanetzThomannThomasbergerThomaschThomascheckThomaschefskiThomaschefskyThomascheitThomaschekThomaschewskiThomaschewskyThomaschkThomaschkeThomaschofskiThomaschowskiThomaschowskyThomasen