Thurnhil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Thurnhil date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Thurnhil family lived in the parish of Thornhill in the county of Yorkshire. The surname Thurnhil is a habitation name that was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname originated as a means of identifying individuals from a particular area. In the Middle Ages people often assumed the name of the place that they originally lived as their surname during the course of travel. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came.

Early Origins of the Thurnhil family

The surname Thurnhil was first found in Yorkshire at Thornhill where they trace their descent from "Gerneber, a noble Saxon who possessed large tracts of land before the Conquest in 1066. " 1 John de Tornhull was recorded there in the Pipe Rolls of 1212. 2

Sir Jordan de Thornhill (c.1123-1194) is generally thought to be the progenitor of the family. He was the son of Essulf FitzUlf (1094-1159) and Maud Fitz Ulf (1096-1200) and was born at Thornhill Hall, Thornhill, Yorkshire assuming the name of his birthplace. He is thought to have had three children by two wives: John de Thornhill; Eve de Lalander and William de Thornhill. His younger siblings were: Peter Fitz-Assulf; Richard Fitz-Essulf; Elias de Thornhill; Thomas de Thornhill; John de Thornhill, Jr. and 2 others.

"This place was the seat of the Thornhill family, for many generations proprietors of the manor. " 3 Fixby in the West Riding of Yorkshire was another ancient family seat.

"This place, called in Domesday Book Feslei, was at an early period the property of a family to whom it gave name; it afterwards passed to the Toothills, and from them, by marriage, to the ancient family of Thornhill, of whom mention occurs in 1577 as holding lands of Queen Elizabeth in Fekisby, as of her demesne of Wakefield." 3

"In the 15th of Edward II., John de Thornhill held the manor [of Foulridge, Lancashire]; and by marriage with his daughter, Sir Henry Saville became possessed of the property in 1404." 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Willelraus Thornyll; and Leticia de Thornhyll as holding lands there at that time. 4

Early Somerset records show Walter de Thornhulle, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

Early History of the Thurnhil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thurnhil research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1190, 1220, 1330, 1500, 1529, 1557, 1675 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Thurnhil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thurnhil Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Thurnhil are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Thurnhil include: Thornhill, Thornhull, Thornall, Thornehill, Thornell and many more.

Early Notables of the Thurnhil family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Brian Thornhill of Thornhill; and Sir James Thornhill (1675-1734), an English painter of historical subjects, born at Melcombe Regis, Dorset, son of Walter Thornhill of Wareham, the eighth son of George Thornhill (or Thornhull)...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thurnhil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thurnhil family to Ireland

Some of the Thurnhil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thurnhil family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Thurnhil or a variant listed above: Nancy Thornhill settled in Fortune, Newfoundland, in 1817; William Thornall settled in Brunett Island Newfoundland in 1829; Ben Thornhill settled in New England in 1771.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.