Surname Tomfeld - Meaning and Origin

Tomfeld: What does the surname Tomfeld mean?

The last name Tomfeld is an Anglo-Saxon surname of English origin. It is derived from the occupational name ‘tumbler’ or ‘tumbrelman’, which likely refers to someone who worked stripping down and rebuilding buildings. This likely began as an agricultural activity, where ricks and cottages were thatched and moved regularly from place to place.

The name is formed from the Old English words ‘tum’, which means to thrash or beat and ‘feld’ which means open field. The combination of these two words creates the name ‘Tomfeld’ which may have been used as an indication of someone who performed this job in an open field.

The name Tomfeld also appears to have been used by 17th and 18th century farmers who made use of an innovation at the time which involved reaping in long strips called ‘tomfields’. To reap stalks of grain in this way meant faster harvesting as one farmer could cover more ground, which made the activity more efficient.

Tomfeld is an uncommon name, but there are records of the surname being distributed around England as early as the 15th century. The current day distribution of the name is mostly concentrated in Norfolk, England, where individuals with the Tomfeld surname make up less than 1% of the population.

The Tomfeld surname is a rare relic, indicating hard work and innovation in agricultural history. The contribution of people with the Tomfeld name to industry and agricultural practices has likely been passed down through generations, which makes it a fitting reminder of the advances made in our history.

Tomfeld: Where does the name Tomfeld come from?

The last name Tomfeld is most commonly found today in Germany and Austria. In Germany, it is estimated that there are about 500 people with this name living there. Austria also has a significant population of Tomfeld's, with an estimated 1,100 living in the country. The name is also found in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries with large German-speaking populations.

The origin of the Tomfeld name is unknown, though it is believed to be of Germanic or Jewish origin. In Germany, the name was commonly found in the Bavarian and Hessen regions in the 1800s. The name was also carried over to the United States and Canada with the immigration of German and Austrian families.

The Tomfeld surname is also associated with a few notable people. Friedrich Wilhelm Tomfeld was a German lawyer and author of numerous legal works, and Generalleutnant Otto Tomfeld was a German officer who fought in World War II. Paul Tomfeld was a WWII-Allied pilot who breached the Berlin wall during the Cold War.

Today, the Tomfeld name lives on through the descendants of those that originally bore it centuries ago. Families with the name can be found in multiple countries, though Germany and Austria remain the most populous areas.

Variations of the surname Tomfeld

The surname Tomfeld has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Tomfled, Tomfel, Tomfelde, Tomfall, and Tomfallen. The root of the surname is likely a Germanicized form of the personal name “Tomme,” a pet form of “Thomas.” The name Tomfeld or Tomfled likely derives from the milk name Tomme, which is an affectionate name given to young children in the Middle Ages.

The suffix “feld” or “fled” in the surname indicates that the family originated from a field or property of some kind, or that their name was derived from the term “field worker.” This suffix is the same as the German suffix “feld” which indicates a field or an outdoor area.

Variant spellings of the name, such as Tomfel, Tomfelde, Tomfall, and Tomfallen, appear in some records. The suffix “el” is an alternate spelling for “feld,” while the suffix “al” or “all” is a variation of “fled.”

The variants and spellings of the name Tomfeld likely came about due to the various dialects and languages being spoken in the region where the original name was created. Over the centuries, the spelling of any name is likely to have varied, much like the way language itself changes with time.

Famous people with the name Tomfeld

• John Tomfeld: American politician and the president of the Connecticut Building Congress
• Annie Tomfeld: actress known for her roles in Lazytown, Unforgotten and A Sort of Homecoming
• Nora Tomfeld: a social media influencer and lifestyle blogger
• Judith Tomfeld: a professor and author specializing in urban and regional planning.
• Ronnie Tomfeld: singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
• Brittany Tomfeld: an award-winning singer and actress
• Paul Tomfeld: a Jewish-American professional wrestler most active in the early 2000s
• Dennis Tomfeld: an American cartoonist, writer and publisher
• Patrick Tomfeld: a professional MMA fighter and former Muay Thai kickboxer
• Samuel Tomfeld: one of the founders of the Conservation Fund and recipient of the Presidential Citizens medal.

Other surnames

Tomfelde