Show ContentsThorould History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Thorould family

The surname Thorould was first found in Lincolnshire, where they claim descent from Theroldus de Buckenhuld, Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1052 whose descendant Sir Richards Thorold of Selby was living during the reign of Edward III. He married Joan, daughter and heiress of Robert de Haugh, of Marston. And it is from this marriage a son was born, William Thorold, Lord of Marston. 1

Looking back further in Normandy, the family is a branch of the DeVers, from Ver near Bayeux where Alberic de Ver witnessed a Breton charter in 1058. 2 "It comes to us from Normandy, where Turold was one of the preceptors of William the Conqueror, and his Grand-Constable at the time on the Conquest. The name TUROLD occurs upon the Bayeux Tapestry, designating one of the ambassadors dispatched by the Norman Duke to Guy, Earl of Ponthieu. " 3

Turold (fl. 1075-1100), was an English romance-writer and has been considered by some as the author of the 'Chanson de Roland.' "Its attribution to a person of that name, a common enough one in the eleventh century, rests on the last line of the poem in the oldest known manuscript of it in the Bodleian library at Oxford. " 4

Later listings of the name include: Toroudus, Toroldus presbiter 1143-1147 in Lincolnshire; Robertus filius Thoradi, a Templar in Yorkshire in 1185; and William Turolde listed in the Pipe Rolls for Gloucestershire in 1190. 5

Early History of the Thorould family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thorould research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1591, 1632, 1633, 1642, 1644, 1661, 1664, 1666, 1677, 1706, 1709, 1717, 1722, 1738 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Thorould History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thorould Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Thorould has been recorded under many different variations, including Thorold, Thorald, Thorrold, Thorrald, Therould and others.

Early Notables of the Thorould family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Samuel Thorold of Harmeston; Sir William Thorold, 1st Baronet (1591-1677), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1677, and Sheriff of Lincolnshire from 1632 to 1633; Sir John Thorold, 4th Baronet (1664-1717), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Grantham and Lincolnshire; and Sir George Thorold, 1st Baronet (c. 1666-1722) of Harmston, Lincolnshire, a leading London merchant. There have been four baronetcies created for members of the Thorold family of Lincolnshire. The Thorold Baronetcy, of Marston in the County of Lincoln, was created in the...
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thorould Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thorould family

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Thoroulds were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: Jacob and Sarah Therould settled in New York in 1686 with two children.



The Thorould 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: Cervus non servus
Motto Translation: A stag not enslaved.


  1. Burke, Sir Bernard, C.B. LL.D The General Armory of England Scotland, Ireland and Wales. London: Harrison, 59, Pall Mall, 1884, Print.
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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