Thompson

الأصل والتاريخ

English and Scottish patronymic surname meaning 'son of Thomas' (via the intermediate given name Thom). Thomas itself derives from the Aramaic 'ta'oma', meaning 'twin'. The '-son' ending reflects the Scandinavian influence on northern English and Scottish naming, and Thompson is accordingly most dense in County Durham, Northumberland, and southern Scotland. It is distinct from the rarer Thomson, which is the characteristic Scottish spelling.