Surname Thoman - Meaning and Origin
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Thoman: What does the surname Thoman mean?
The surname Thoman is of German origin, derived from the given name Thoman, which is a variation of Thomas. The name Thoman translates to “twin” or “twoisome”, derived from the Aramaic given name Tauma meaning “twin”.
The Thoman surname is quite uncommon and the family likely originated in Germany. According to historical records, the Thoman family appears to have been in existence since the 16th century, with records circa 1550 suggesting a Johan Thomin was living in Braunschweig, Germany. Later records (late 1700s) also show that a Franz Thoman, listed as a miller by profession, was living in the Haftendorf village in the Austrian Empire.
Generally, Thoman is a patronymic name referring to a person whose father’s given name was Thomas. It is possible that following the Napoleonic Wars, some members of the family relocated to neighbouring countries, like France. There has been some suggestion of Thomans settling in the United States as early as the late 1700s, although no records of these settlers prior to the mid-1800s have been found.
As the Thomans are a relatively small family, the naming tradition appears to have been preserved over the years, with successive generations bearing either the Thoman surname or a variation of it, such as Thomas or Thommen.
Though the Thoman family is of German-American origin, it is quite possible that there are also members of the family living in other parts of Europe, such as Western Europe or Eastern Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisThoman: Where does the name Thoman come from?
The last name Thoman is a fairly uncommon name, but it is common in certain parts of the world. In Europe, many people who bear the Thoman surname are concentrated in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, and Switzerland.
In the United States, the Thoman surname is considered rare. It is most heavily concentrated in the midwest and northeast regions, with a scattering of Thoman households in the south. According to the US Census Bureau of 2020, less than 15,000 US individuals claim the Thoman name.
In parts of South America, Thoman is an established and widespread surname throughout certain countries, particularly Argentina and Colombia. The Immigration Report for 2020 also shows many Thoman-named immigrants in the country of Peru.
Overall, the last name Thoman is growing in popularity but still considered relatively uncommon in most parts of the world. The highest concentrations of Thoman families can be found mainly in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru.
Variations of the surname Thoman
The surname Thoman is an anglicised version of two separate Germanic surnames. The two main variations are Thomann and Thomas.
Thomann is an occupational surname derived from the German word "Thomas". It was used to describe a Christian follower who was devoted to the Apostle Thomas, and is similar to the surnames Thompson and Thomson.
Thomas is a more traditional German surname that is a patronymic derived from the given name "Thomas". It originally came from the Aramaic given name תאומא t'om'a, meaning "twin".
Historically, the Thomann surname has been more common in southern Germany, while the Thomas surname was more widely used in the north.
The Thoman surname has also been spelled either "Thömann" or "Thöman". Spellings of Thoman such as "Thaiman" and "Tahman" with altered pronunciations have been used far less often than the other variants.
Surnames of similar origins but different spellings are also derived from a personal or given name such as "Tom", "Tomas", "Tomasek", "Tomanek" and "Tomenek". These surnames are not necessarily related to the originalThomann and Thomas surnames of Germanic origin.
Over time, due to changing pronunciations is can be possible to find variants in spelling from one place to the next. For example, Toyman is a version of Thoman that originated in Scottish communities. It is a variant of "Thomson" and is pronounced similarly to "Toyman".
In the United States and Canada, the surname Thoman may also have been altered to sound phonetically closer to English words. One such example is "Thorman" which is derived from the given name Thomas.
No matter what its current orthography is, the Thoman surname can be traced back to its Germanic roots. It is always possible to go further into the family tree to find the provenance of the surname and its variants.
Famous people with the name Thoman
- Lydia Thoman, known as Lotte, German child singer and one-time winner of the popular TV show "Das Supertalent"
- Chris Thoman, American comic and actor best known for his roles on "Big Bang Theory," "Melrose Place," "Malcolm in the Middle," and "Kourtney and Kim Take Miami"
- Steve Thoman, professional golfer on the PGA Tour
- Martin Thoman, former American football player and coach
- Mark Thoman, American actor who has appeared in "Criminal Minds," "The Mentalist," "The Mentalist: Suspect Behavior," and "Grey's Anatomy"
- Hubert Thoman, Austrian painters specializing in portraits
- Marina Thoman, Swedish actress, performer and voiceover artist
- Maura Thoman, Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist
- Judy Thoman, Grammy award-winning country singer
- Eleanor Thoman, American woodwind player and composer