A thin-film magnetic head with a higher protrusion efficiency is provided, which comprises: a substrate with an air bearing surface (ABS); a read head element including a lower and upper shield layers, and a write head element including a magnetic pole layer; a heating element provided in a position opposite to the ABS in relation to the read and write head elements; and a heatsink element including a heatsink layer provided adjacent to an end opposite to an end in the ABS side of at least one layer of the lower and upper shield layers and the magnetic pole layer, the heatsink element having a shape that a pattern width in the track-width direction of an end portion in the ABS side is larger than a pattern width in the track-width direction of an end portion opposite to the end portion in the ABS side.