Surname Tams - Meaning and Origin
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Tams: What does the surname Tams mean?
The surname Tams is of English origin, primarily found in the Northern region of the country. It is believed to have derived from the Old English given name "Tam," a diminutive form of "Thomas". Thomas itself comes from the Aramaic name תָּאוֹמָא (Ta'oma') which translates to "twin". So, indirectly, Tams could be said to mean "twin" or "son of Thomas".
It's also possible that Tams could have geographic origins, stemming from the name of a place or specific location. There are several places called Tam or Thame in England.
Despite its English origins, you can find variants of the Tams last name in different cultures and locations around the world today. It is important to note that the meaning and history of a surname can vary greatly, depending on cultural, geographic, and historical context.
Order DNA origin analysisTams: Where does the name Tams come from?
The last name Tams is not a particularly common name today, however, it is most often found in countries with Germanic roots, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Holland. Tams originated from Germany, with census records indicating that the name dates back as far as 1615 in the region.
Emigration records further show that the Tams family spread across the Atlantic to the United States, Australia, and Canada as far back as the early 19th century. The largest population of Tams outside of Europe is now found in the United States. In the 2000 U.S. Census, Tams was the 6,046th most common last name, with approximately 2,500 people bearing the name.
In Canada, Tams is the 9,709th most common surname, with 356 Canadians reported to be using the name in the 2016 census. Tams is much less common in Australia, where it is reported as being the 31,982nd most popular surname, with only 65 families reported to be bearing the name.
Overall, Tams is a relatively uncommon surname in most parts of the world, however, it does still exist in pockets of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Variations of the surname Tams
The surname Tams is composed of multiple different variant spellings and surnames with the same origin. Some of the most common variant spellings are Tamm, Tammy, Tamb, Tham, Thamm, Thamme, Thammes, Thamms, and Tam. All of these surnames can be traced back to similar roots and often originate from the Germanic and Dutchic countries, such as Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and surroundings.
In some cases, the surname has also been used to indicate a nickname or a descriptive attribute of the individual. Names beginning with ‘Tam-‘ are most likely derived from Low German backgrounds and typically denote someone - the individual or an ancestor - as being small and dark headed.
The surname Tams is derived from the Olde German personal name Tamo which is derived from the word tam, meaning ‘dark cut’. Other forms of this name were Tammo, Tamen, and Tamman. The surname Tam was also found as an English surname, especially in the East Anglia areas.
The name is also found in various other forms in English records, such as Tame, Tamm, Tham, Thamme and Tames. It is also found in other countries and languages such as Dutch, as Taam, Taams, and Tams; Swedish, as Tamm; Danish, as Thams; and Finnish, as Tamminen.
Through the years, variants and spellings of the surname Tams have spread all over the European continent and have become one of the most widespread surnames in the world today.
Famous people with the name Tams
- Sienna Tams: a British contemporary artist known for her expressions of colour, shape and texture.
- Marcus Tams: a British actor, best known for his role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
- Stephen Tams: a British actor, known for his roles in various television programmes, including BBC's Lark Rise to Candleford and CBeebies' Grandpa in my Pocket.
- Donald Tams: a Canadian botanist whose research focused on the study of fungi and plant diseases.
- John Tams: an English folk singer and composer, a long-time member of Home Service and Sharpe, and the composer of the theme tune for the British TV series Sharpe.
- Gordon Tams: an American geologist who specialized in Quaternary geology and surficial geomorphology.
- Abijah Tams: a British child actor, best known for his role in the television series Poole and Midland Railway.
- Jack Tams: a British animator and director of children's television programmes, including Postman Pat and Fireman Sam.
- Will Tams: a British musician, best known for his work in the electronic music duo Orbital.
- Gerrard Tams: a British film and television director, best known for his work directing episodes of the BBC drama, EastEnders.