English (chiefly central and northern England): variant of
Holme.
Scottish: probably a habitational name from Holmes
near Dundonald, or from a place so called in the barony of Inchestuir.
Scottish and Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac
Thomáis, Mac Thómais (see McComb). In part of
western Ireland, Holmes is a variant of Cavish (from
Gaelic Mac Thámhais, another patronymic from Thomas).
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
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