Thames History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Thames was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Thames family lived in Oxfordshire. The name is an indication that its original bearer once lived near the River Thames.

Early Origins of the Thames family

The surname Thames was first found in Oxfordshire where the name is likely derived from the River Thame. Aluered de Tame was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Claricia de Thame in 1279. 2 Today, Thame is a market town and civil parish. "This town, which is evidently of Roman origin, is mentioned as a place of some importance at the commencement of the 10th century, when Wulfhere, King of Mercia, granted a charter dated 'in the vill called Thames.' In the year 970, Osketyl, Archbishop of York, died at Thame. It suffered much from the Danish invasions, particularly in 1010, and a fortification was erected here. At the Conquest it belonged to the Bishop of Lincoln, and till the reign of Edward VI. formed part of the extensive possessions of succeeding prelates, who conferred many benefits on the town, among which was the diverting through it the road that previously passed on its side. " 3 The family originally held estates in Chinnor, about 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Thame.

Early History of the Thames family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thames research. Another 249 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1492, 1493 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Thames History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thames Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Thame, Tharm, Tharme, Temes and others.

Early Notables of the Thames family

More information is included under the topic Early Thames Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thames Ranking

In the United States, the name Thames is the 4,483^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4

Thames migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Thames or a variant listed above:

Thames Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Unbwin Thames, aged 27, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1832 5

Thames Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Gustave Thames, aged 42, who arrived in New York in 1922 aboard the ship "Reliance" from Hamburg, Germany 6
Alvin Thames, aged 22, who arrived in New York in 1924 aboard the ship "Bur" from Havana, Matanzas, Cuba 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Thames (post 1700) +

Eric A. Thames (b. 1986), American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder
Mason Thames (b. 2007), American actor who played the lead role in the horror film The Black Phone (2021)
Byron Thames (b. 1969), American television and film actor and musician
Marcus Markley Thames (b. 1977), American professional baseball outfielder
José Ignacio Thames (1762-1832), Argentine statesman and priest

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result