This interesting surname, despite its appearance which might suggest otherwise, is one of the numerous variants of the surname Thomas, and additionally is one of the patronymic spellings. Both Tom and Tim in medieval times were pet forms of the male given name Thomas, and to the nicknames were added the double diminutive suffixes of "el" and short spelling of little, and "in", a short form of 'kin', to give Tom-el-in or Tim-el-in. These varainst themselves were subject to many changes and to the creation of surnames such as Timmel, Timson, and Timmelson. The personal name "Thomas" was popular in the Middle Ages, partly because it is of biblical origin. The ultimate derivation is from an Aramaic byname meaning "twin". Thomas was the name of one of Christ's disciples, best known for his scepticism about Christ's resurrection - "Doubting Thomas". The surname was first recorded in the early half of the 14th Century, (see below). Included in the church registers of London are Cathern Tomlin, who was christened on December 1st 1557, at St. John's, Hackney; Henry Tomlin, who married Elizabeth Lee, on July 18th 1596, at St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, Marie daughter of Richard Tomlin, who was christened on June 5th 1612, at St. Mary's Whitechapel; Anne, daughter of George Tomlin, who was christened on January 14th 1621 at St. Dunstan in the East, Elizabeth Timlin daughter of Thomas Timlin, christened at St Margarets Westminster, on August 2ns 1695. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Thomelyn, which was dated 1327, The Pipe Rolls of Cambridge, during the reign of King Edward 111, "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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