The Tomlinson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 25,274 people carried this name — #1,407 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,700 people counted. That is up 5% from 24,110 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Tomlinson surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From a diminutive form of Thomas + -son.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Tomlinson» (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’.

An early record he cites: John Tomelyn, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Tomlin, Tomlins, Tomlinson and Tomlyn.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 757 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 5 births for the Tomlinson name in 1890.

Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 2
Munster 2
Ulster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

27 people named Tomlinson live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 10
Geneva 9
Bern 5
Basel-Landschaft 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 23 people named Tomlinson.

Most of them — 23 — were born outside France.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 23

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Tomlinson was found among the farmers of 7 counties.

It was most frequent in Derbyshire: 52 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 192. 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

Derbyshire 52
Nottinghamshire 35
Staffordshire 25
Lancashire 23
Lincolnshire 20
Yorkshire, West Riding 20
Cheshire 15

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 Scotland’s registers today

Tomlinson was recorded 30 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 816th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 28. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

99 families named Tomlinson, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 584 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 other spellings. 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

Connecticut 37
Pennsylvania 27
North Carolina 15
Virginia 10
South Carolina 6
Maryland 3
Vermont 1

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

Tomlinson in American newspapers,
1893–1906.

Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Herald carrying the name Tomlinson
The Salt Lake Herald 1906-10-21
Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Tomlinson
The News & Observer 1898-09-09
Newspaper page from Capital Journal carrying the name Tomlinson
Capital Journal 1893-08-31

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 135,704 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Tomlinson in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

27,210 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Tomlinson. The most, 5,694, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 7,350
Victoria 5,927
Queensland 5,720
Western Australia 4,891
South Australia 2,189
Tasmania 855
ACT (Canberra) 197
Northern Territory 14

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

Who carried it

People named Tomlinson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Elizabeth Tomlinson d. 1811
  • Eleanor Fraser Tomlinson d. 1944
  • Jane Elizabeth Tomlinson d. 1919
  • Thomas Tomlinson d. 1889
  • Caroline Tomlinson d. 1872
  • Robert Tomlinson d. 1942

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Tomlinson,
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 States2,171 records

2,171 records of the Tomlinson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 842
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 336
  • Other U.S. records 993
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Michael James Tomlinson

    Born 1947; from Van Nuys, California. U.S. Marine Corps, ammunition technician; died in an accident 1967 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William C. Tomlinson

    Born 1921 in California. Enlisted 1942 at Los Angeles; shipping clerk from Los Angeles County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1971, buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas B. Tomlinson

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool, aged 39; buyer. From London, England; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 2,171 records for Tomlinson 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 · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,123 records

1,123 records of the Tomlinson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 516
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 202
  • Other Australian records 405
  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 Samuel Tomlinson

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Petre, sailing from London in 1843. Native of Eccleshall, Staffordshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Hobart, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Elsie Myra Tomlinson

    Born 1911 in Ryde St, North℗¿Hobart, Tasmania. Died 1934 in Tasmania, aged 23.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Edd W. Tomlinson

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Royal Charter, aged 21; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,123 records for Tomlinson in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada181 records

181 records of the Tomlinson name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 89
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 25
  • Other Canadian records 67
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Chester Tomlinson

    Killed in 1959 at the Walton, Magnet Cove Barium Corp, Walton mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Geo Tomlinson

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Sardinian, landing at Halifax, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Geoffrey William Tomlinson

    Buried in 1974 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 61.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 181 records for Tomlinson in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom114 records

114 records of the Tomlinson name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 91
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 17
  • Stirling Council burial records 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Samuel Tomlinson

    Buried in 1908 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 62.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Tomlinson

    Buried in 1823 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 48.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Tomlinson

    King's (Liverpool Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 114 records for Tomlinson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand49 records

49 records of the Tomlinson name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 37
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 8
  • Other New Zealand records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Tomlinson

    Died 1941, aged 88; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Owen George Tomlinson

    Born 1933, died 1994; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Marion Tomlinson

    Buried in 1949 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 80.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 49 records for Tomlinson in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Tomlinson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Elsie Louise Tomlinson

    Died 1968 in Alkmaar, aged 67.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Alkmaar (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Sarah Tomlinson

    Married in 1837 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Tomlinson in the Netherlands.

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

France2 records

2 records of the Tomlinson 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 Charles Bruce Tomlinson

    Born 1910 in the United States; died 1999 in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes).

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

    Born 1940 in Great Britain; died 1999 in Valence (Tarn-et-Garonne).

    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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Tomlinson.

When the index is not enough

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

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