Show ContentsThurlowe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Thurlowe is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Thurlowe family lived in Suffolk, at Thurlow which was in turn derived from the Old English word tryohlaw, meaning dweller by the hill.

Early Origins of the Thurlowe family

The surname Thurlowe was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Thurlow. Conjecturally, they are descended from Godric, the holder of the King's lands of Great and Little Thurlow at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, a census initiated by King William, Duke of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066. The village at that time consisted of a Church and 33 goats. Today Little Thurlow is a village and civil parish in the St Edmundsbury district and has a population of about 230 as of 2005.

One of the first records of the family was John de Thorlow, Throwklow or Trokelowe (fl. 1330), an early English chronicler and monk of St. Albans. A monk of that name was also in the priory of Tynemouth, Northumberland. 1

Early History of the Thurlowe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thurlowe research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1668, 1775 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Thurlowe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thurlowe Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Thurlow, Thurlough, Thurlowe, Thurloe, Thurlo, Thurlows, Thurles and many more.

Early Notables of the Thurlowe family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thurlowe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Thurlowe family to Ireland

Some of the Thurlowe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thurlowe family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Thurlowe or a variant listed above: Abram Thurlo who settled in New Orleans La. in 1821.



The Thurlowe Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Justitiae soror fides
Motto Translation: Fidelity is the sister of justice.


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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