Tompkins
What is the origin of the last name Tompkins?
Meaning and origin
The last name Tompkins has English origins, derived from the medieval personal name Tom, a diminutive of Thomas, and the patronymic suffix -kin, meaning "son of." The name Tomkins evolved over time to become Tompkins, with variations such as Tomkinson also observed.
The longer story
Tompkins is a last name that holds a significant place in American history. Derived from the personal name Thomas, it is a patronymic surname, indicating descent from a person named Thomas. The name Thomas itself originated from the Aramaic word "tômā," meaning "twin." Variations of the surname include Tompson, Tompkin, Tomkyns, and Thompkins.
The Tompkins surname traces its roots back to England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is primarily found in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, and Suffolk. The name can also be traced to Scotland, where it has been present since the medieval era.
Daniel D. Tompkins played a significant role in the development of the Erie Canal and the promotion of education in New York State.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,485
Tompkins was the 1,485th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 24,056 people, about 7.8 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Tompkins
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Tompkins is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.