Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Tatum” come from?

Tatum is a modern English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Old English Tāta, though the semantic connection remains unclear.

Ancestry of “Tatum”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishatomThe smallest possible amount of matter which...
2Middle Englishattomeatom
3Middle Frenchathomeatom
4Latinatomusindivisible; an atom, particle incapable of being...
5Ancient Greekἄτομοςuncut; indivisible, not capable of being...
6Ancient Greekἀ-The alpha privativum, used to make words that...
7Proto-Hellenichə-same; together
8Proto-Indo-Europeansm̥-one; with, together
9Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sem- →