Show ContentsThompsand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the distinguished surname Thompsand can be found in Scotland. The name is derived from the popular given name Thomas, an Aramaic name meaning "twin," and refers to "a son of Thomas or Thom." 1 The spelling of the name with a "p" distinguishes the family from the Thomsons, who were a Scottish Clan originally known as MacThomais.

Early Origins of the Thompsand family

The surname Thompsand was first found in Cumberland, where the Thompsand family held a family seat from ancient times. However, some of the family were found at Shotton in Durham. "The family of Thompson held property here, chiefly by copy of court-roll, at least as early as the reign of Elizabeth; and from them the estate came by marriage, in the middle of the last century, to the Brandlings." 2

"This name is distributed over the greater part of England, but is rare or absent in the south (south of a line joining London and Bristol). Its great home is in the north, in the region north of a line connecting the Humber with Morecambe Bay, and Northumberland in particular is pre-eminent for the number of its Thompsons. It extends in force in its Scottish form of Thomson across the border into Dumfriesshire, Roxburghshire, and is very numerous over a large part of Scotland, but particularly in the region south of the Forth and the Clyde. As we trace it southward from its northern home, we find its numbers rapidly diminishing. It is, however, well represented in the midlands. Further south, again, as above remarked, it becomes rare or dies out altogether." 3

Early History of the Thompsand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thompsand research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1625, 1639, 1659, 1661, 1663, 1668, 1673, 1679, 1681, 1683, 1689, 1690, 1693, 1695, 1698, 1700, 1701 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Thompsand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thompsand Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tompson, Thompson and others.

Early Notables of the Thompsand family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir William Thompson (1614-1681), English politician, Member of Parliament for the City of London (1661 to 1679); Sir Henry Thompson (ca. 1625-1683) was an English wine merchant and politician, Lord Mayor of York (1663), Member of Parliament for York (1673-1683); and his son, Henry Thompson (1659-1700), an English landowner and politician; and his...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thompsand Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Thompsand family to Ireland

Some of the Thompsand family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 94 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thompsand family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Edward Thompson, who was one of the passengers on the "Mayflower" in 1620; David Thompson, who settled in Maine in 1623; William Thompson, who immigrated to Virginia in 1653.



The Thompsand Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nosce teipsum
Motto Translation: Know thyself.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.


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