Surname Holmes - Meaning and Origin

A Journey into My Past: Unraveling the Ancient Origins of the Holmes Lineage with iGENEA DNA Test

Embarking on a journey to discover my roots through iGENEA's DNA test, I unearthed the ancient origins of my surname, Holmes. This analysis expanded my understanding, tracing my lineage back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain and beyond, revealing an unexpected connection to historical figures and notable global migration.

Z. Holmes

Holmes: What does the surname Holmes mean?

The surname Holmes is of English and Scottish origin and is primarily used in English speaking countries. It is derived from the Old English "holme," meaning "island," "river meadow," or "dry land in a fen," which indicates somebody who lived near or on an island or a piece of dry land in a fen. The term "holm" is also used in Scotland and Northern England to denote the raised land within a river valley. Thus, the surname essentially refers to a topographical feature of the ancestral home. It’s important to note that it can occasionally be a variant of the Irish name "MacThomáis". The name is quite common in Britain and especially so in England, where it ranks among the top hundred common surnames. The most famous bearer of the name is arguably the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Holmes: Where does the name Holmes come from?

The last name Holmes is a very common surname today and can be found in countries all around the world.

In the United States, the name Holmes is particularly popular. According to the US Census, it ranked No. 236 in 2013, with about 33,000 people bearing the name. It has been consistently ranked in the top 250 most common last names since the 1980s.

Holmes is also popular in other English-speaking countries. In Canada, it ranks 151 and in Australia, it is the 74th most common last name. It is especially popular in England, where census data from 2011 shows it to be the 21st most frequent surname.

Moving to other parts of the world, although the numbers vary, the name retains its popularity. In Scotland, it is the 48th most common (2011 figures). In Ireland, it is the 138th most frequent surname (blended variant of Holm and Hulme). The same source sites Holmes as the 33rd most prevalent surname in Switzerland (a combination of Englisch-Holm and Schwyzertüütsch-Holme), and the 17th in New Zealand (in which the name is popular, due to British settlers of the 19th century).

To summarise, the name Holmes is quite widespread. It retains an especially strong presence in English-speaking countries, but is also popular in many other areas of the world.

Variations of the surname Holmes

The surname Holmes is derived from the Middle English word holm, meaning "island". It is common to many countries and has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.

In England, variants of Holmes include Holm, Holme, and Homes. In Scotland, the variants are MacHolme, MacIlholm, and MacIlhome. In Ireland, the variants are O’Holm, O’Holmes, and O'Houlmes.

Other variants include Holmeshovs, Holmsen, Holmsker, Holmski, Houlmé, Houlme, and MacHolm. These surnames can be found in France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and other parts of Northern Europe.

In Spain, the variant is Maldonado, and in Portugal it is Maldonês. In Italy, Holmes is spelled Hulmes, and in Romania, the variant is Holmescu. In Poland, it is spelled Holski, and in Croatia, the variant is Holmsk. Other nations with variants of Holmes include Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

In the United States, the variants include Holme, Homes, Holden, Holloman, Home, Holman, Maholmes, and Halme. Holme is the most common variant in America and can be found in all fifty states. In Canada, variants of Holmes include Homme, Holm, and Homs.

The extended family of surnames connected to Holmes includes Holest, Holmmen, Holmsi, Holmsohn, Homey, Holmseth, Holmstierne, Holmstrand, Holmberg, Holmy, and Holton. All of these spellings and surnames can be found around the world.

Famous people with the name Holmes

• Katie Holmes: American actress, model, and producer.
• Thomas Holmes: British actor, known for his roles in films such as The Good Shepherd and Defiance.
• Sherlock Holmes: Fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
• Nancy Holmes: American poet, professor, and critic.
• Henry Holmes: British actor and playwright.
• Clive Holmes: English actor and producer.
• Amanda Holmes: American entrepreneur and television host.
• Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.: American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902 to 1932.
• Auguste Deter Holmes: 19th century French-American writer, editor, and naturalist.
• Thomas J. Watson, Sr.: American businessman, widely considered the founder of International Business Machines (IBM).
• David Holmes: Northern Irish DJ and record producer.
• Rupert Holmes: English-American composer, singer-songwriter, musician and author.
• Taylor Holmes: American stage and film actor.
• Mycroft Holmes: Fictional character from the Sherlock Holmes novels.
• Robert Holmes: British writer and script editor for the science-fiction television series Doctor Who.
• Anna Holmes: American editor, essayist, critic, and writer.
• Dee Dee Holmes: American actress, model, and singer.
• Twyla Holmes: Canadian former professional basketball player.
• John Holmes: American adult film actor.
• Edwin M. Holmes: 19th century American newspaper editor and politician.

Other surnames

Holmen