Surname Thornbrough - Meaning and Origin
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Thornbrough: What does the surname Thornbrough mean?
The surname Thornbrough is of English origin and is a topographic or locational name. It derives from Old English pre 7th Century "thorn", meaning thorn bush, and "burh", which means a fortified place, typically a castle or fortified town. So, someone bearing this name might have originally lived in a place surrounded by thorn bushes or in a fortified settlement associated with thorn bushes. As a locational name, it may also refer to a place called Thornbrough or a place resembling that name. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand often leading to an astonishing variants of the original spelling. It’s also common for surnames to have originated from a particular profession or role in society, although this isn't obviously applicable with Thornbrough.
Order DNA origin analysisThornbrough: Where does the name Thornbrough come from?
The last name Thornbrough can be found today in a variety of places around the world. It is most commonly found in the United States, where there is currently over 5,000 bearers. However, this name is also found in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and other countries.
The name is thought to have originated in England. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English terms “thorn” (a thorn bush or hedge) and “brough” (a pasture). The name literally means “thorn bush pasture” and may have been given to a family who lived or worked near such a location.
The earliest record of the name dates back to Yorkshire, England in the late 1600s and it is likely that the family originated from this area. The family was thought to have been a branch of the major Yorkshire family of de Thornbroughs.
Today, many bearers of the surname may have immigrated to their current locations from England or Ireland. In the UK, today it is most commonly found in London and the south-east of England.
As a result, persons with this name hail from a variety of backgrounds. This is typical of the great diaspora of people living in many countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Thornbrough
The surname Thornbrough is an Anglo-Saxon or Old Norse name, originated in the British Isles. It is derived from the pre7th century Olde English words " Thorn" and " burh" which meant, a thorn tree or hedge and a fortified house respectively. It is also derived from the Old Norse word " thorbjorn" which can be translated as Thor’s bear or bear of Thor, Thor being the popular Norse god.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Thornbrough are-
1. Thornberg- This is the Swedish spelling for the surname Thornbrough. This spelling variant is a combination of the words ‘thorn’ and ‘berg’, which means ‘mountain’.
2. Thornburgh- This is the Scottish spelling of the name. Like Thornbrough, this name is derived from the words ‘thorn’ and ‘burgh’, with ‘burgh’ meaning ‘fortified house’.
3. Thornebridge- This is a variant spelling of the surname Thornbrough, which is derived from Old English. This variant spells ‘bridge’ instead of ‘burgh’, with bridge having similar meaning as ‘burgh’.
4. Thornton- This is a medieval English surname and is derived from the pre 7th century Old English words ‘Thorn’ and ‘tun’. Tun is a word meant for an enclosed area usually with an enclosed courtyard. The name Thornton is also derived from the Old Norse word ‘thor’ or ‘thorbjorn’, which translates to ‘Thor’s bear’.
5. Thornhill- This is an English surname, derived from the Old English words ‘thorn’ and ‘hyl’, with ‘hyl’ meaning ‘a hill covered with thorn bushes’.
6. Thornbury- This is a habitational surname used for persons hailing from any of the various places called Thornbury in England. The origin of this name is the Old English words ‘thorn’ and ‘burh’, with ‘burh’ meaning fortified house, castle or stronghold.
7. Thorn- This is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Thorn.
8. Thorne- This is an Anglo-Saxon surname derived from the Old English words ‘thorn’ and ‘hege’, meaning ‘an enclosure of thorn bushes’.
Famous people with the name Thornbrough
- Ray Thornbrough: former mayor of Pensacola, Florida
- Sandy Thornbrough: journalist and author focusing on American foreign policy.
- Dorian Thornbrough: retired professional basketball player.
- Walt Thornbrough: retired Colonel in the United States Army and jurist.
- Jamie Thornbrough: circuit judge in the 4th Judicial Circuit in Florida.
- Pauline K. Thornbrough: historian and author focusing on African American history.
- Abigail Thornbrough: British politician who served in the House of Commons for Bolton South East.
- Barry Thornbrough: former NFL defensive lineman.
- Constance A. Thornbrough: American historian with a specialty in African-American history.
- Dr. John Thornbrough: professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the school of Information Studies.