| ![Show Contents]() Tomsons History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of TomsonsWhat does the name Tomsons mean? The age-old tribe of the Strathclyde Britons of the Scottish/English Borderlands were the first people to use the name Tomsons. It is derived from the ancient personal name Thomas, meaning twin. Early Origins of the Tomsons familyThe surname Tomsons was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where the first listings of the name were found in the early 1300s. They include: John Thomson, "a man of low birth, but approved valour", leader of the men of Carrick in Edward Bruce's war in Ireland in 1318 and Adam Thomson who was listed as Lord of Kylnekylle, Ayrshire c. 1370-80. Closing out that century was Johannes filius Thome who was elected bailie of Aberdeen in 1398. 1 In the 15th century, we found: "John Tomson [who] witnessed a grant in Ayr in 1401. Donald Thomson was one of an inquest to determine the rights of pasturage which the Temple lands had over the adjoining town and territory of Letter in 1461. John Thomsoun was juror on an inquest at Dunipace in 1426 (Cambus., 87), Duncan Thomsone of Auchinhampteris witnessed a bond of manrent in 1491." 1 Just over the border in Yorkshire England, records there show Adam Thomasson and Johannes Thomasson as holding lands there at the time of the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls in 1379. 2 Interestingly there is a record of the family far to the south and west in the parish of Tywardreath, Cornwall, England. "Treveryon-house and barton in this parish have been for many generations the property and occasional residence of the family of Thomson. This is now the property and abode of their representative H. Thomson, Esq. a captain in the Royal Cornwall Militia. Treveryon-house occupies an interesting situation, and claims something more than the mere mention of its name. In its front, it has four pillars of the Ionic order, cut from Cornish granite, of which they exhibit beautiful specimens. The front of this building displays much architectural elegance. The whole house is neat and commodious, and as a genteel residence according to its magnitude, it is deservedly to be reckoned among the abodes of gentility in this county. " 3 Early History of the Tomsons familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tomsons research. Another 330 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1318, 1370, 1461, 1511, 1517, 1527, 1539, 1547, 1561, 1588, 1608, 1613, 1619, 1636, 1668, 1676, 1700, 1735, 1750, 1763, 1765, 1771, 1779, 1799, 1801, 1803, 1809, 1817, 1830, 1831, 1841, 1843, 1846, 1875 and 1884 are included under the topic Early Tomsons History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Tomsons Spelling VariationsIn the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Tomsons has appeared as Thomson, Tomson, Tamson, Thomsoun, M'Comie and others. Early Notables of the Tomsons familyNotable amongst the family at this time was George Thomson (c. 1619-1676), an English physician, medical writer and pamphleteer, leading figure in an attempt to create a "College of Chemical Physicians"; and Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham (1799-1841), British politician, the first Governor of the united Province of Canada.Laurence Tomson (1539-1608), was an English politician, author, and translator, born in Northamptonshire and Richard Tomson (fl. 1588), was an English mariner who may presumably be identified with the Richard Tomson of Yarmouth. 4Alexander Thomson (1763-1803) was a Scottish poet, born in Edinburgh, and was an close friend of Robert Anderson (1750-1830.)...
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tomsons Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Tomsons family to IrelandSome of the Tomsons family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Tomsons migration to the United States | + |
The freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them:
Tomsons Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Tomsons, who landed in Virginia in 1661 5
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: Honesty is the best policy
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- 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)
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