The Thomason surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 20,478 people carried this name — #1,751 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 14,400 people counted. That is up 5% from 19,549 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Thomason surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Thomas + -son. Literally, “son of Thomas”.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Thomason» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Thomas’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Roger fil. Thomas, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

His entry covers Thomas, Thomason, Thomasson, Thomassin and Thomeson.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 745 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

30 people named Thomason is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 30

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Thomason was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Cheshire: 17 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 588. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cheshire 17
Northamptonshire 17

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Thomason was counted together with Thompson: 1,672 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 9,390 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Thompson, Thomason, Thomerson, Thomison, Thomsin, Thomson, Tomason, Tomison, Tompson, Tomson. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 285
North Carolina 215
Massachusetts 188
Connecticut 157
Maryland 155
New York 147
Virginia 139
South Carolina 133
Maine 107
New Hampshire 90
Vermont 46
Rhode Island 10

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 265 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Thomason in American newspapers,
1897–1909.

Newspaper page from The Newspaper carrying the name Thomason
The Newspaper 1909-08-27
Newspaper page from The Newspaper carrying the name Thomason
The Newspaper 1909-08-27
Newspaper page from New York Journal And Advertiser carrying the name Thomason
New York Journal And Advertiser 1897-11-21

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 41,729 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Thomason in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

4,642 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Thomason. The most, 1,064, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 3.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 3,005
Western Australia 390
New South Wales 378
Tasmania 355
Victoria 342
South Australia 99
ACT (Canberra) 21
Northern Territory 5

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Thomason.

Who carried it

People named Thomason,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Edward Thomason
    Edward Thomason 1769–1849 · inventor
  • Robert Ewing Thomason
    Robert Ewing Thomason 1879–1973 · judge
  • Charlie Thomason d. 1998 · baseball player
  • Catherine Thomason d. 1887
  • T. T. Thomason 1774–1829
  • Hugh French Thomason 1826–1893 · judge

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Thomason,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,147 records

1,147 records of the Thomason name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 713
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 238
  • Other U.S. records 196
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Claude M. Thomason

    Born 1916 in South Carolina. Enlisted 1946 at New York City; hatchery worker from Kings County, New York. U.S. Army veteran; died 1964, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Calvin Thomason

    Born 1947; from Niota, Tennessee. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Bien Hoa, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Thomason

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of New York from Liverpool, aged 31; surgeon. From Liverpool, England; bound for Florida.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,147 records for Thomason in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia165 records

165 records of the Thomason name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 49
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 44
  • Other Australian records 72
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record George Edward Thomason

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Hercules, arriving 1825; ticket of leave 1837.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Allan E. Thomason

    Arrived in Queensland in 1885 aboard the Duke of Buccleuch, aged 24.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Edward W. Thomason

    Former engineer of Bentleigh, Victoria; died 1937.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 165 records for Thomason in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

United Kingdom13 records

13 records of the Thomason name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 11
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Quintin Angus Thomason

    Will proved in 1940; of Saint Asaph, Flint.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record G. Thomason

    South Staffordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ada Thomason

    Will proved in 1935; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Thomason in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands7 records

7 records of the Thomason name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  • Dutch population registers 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Janna Thomason

    Married in 1748 in Delft.

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Gesinus Thomason

    In the population register of Neede; born 1878 in Neede.

    Open Archives, Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Anna Catharina Thomason

    Baptised in 1704 in De Clinge.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Thomason in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada5 records

5 records of the Thomason name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  • Other Canadian records 2
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Frederick L. Thomason

    Buried in 1962 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record George Wm Thomason

    Died 1911; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Frederick Thomason

    Died in service in 1920.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 5 records for Thomason in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

France3 records

3 records of the Thomason name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Hilda Thomason

    Born 1929 in the United Kingdom; died 1992 in Fréjus (Var).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Robert Wayne Thomason

    Born 1952 in the United States; died 1995 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Maurice Thomason

    Born 1903 in Mensignac (Dordogne); died 1982 in Cadillac (Gironde).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Thomason name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Hilda Gertrude Thomason

    Died 1975, aged 53; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Vera Thomason

    Died 1990, aged 94; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Thomason.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Thomason is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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