Thurber History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Thurber is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman given name Terbert.

Early Origins of the Thurber family

The surname Thurber was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat. The definition that the name was derived from the name of a fish can be discounted as Victorian historians whimsical nonsense. The family held a family seat in Yorkshire and was a noble name during the time of King Richard 1st (about 1190 A.D.) and all indications are that this was a Norman name which appeared in the Domesday Book, 1 a survey of England taken by Duke William of Normandy in the year 1086 A.D., after his conquest of England in 1066 A.D. and appears as Turbert, a person holding lands.

Early History of the Thurber family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thurber research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1710 is included under the topic Early Thurber History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thurber Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Thurber family name include Turbutt, Turbott, Turbert, Turbett, Turbot and many more.

Early Notables of the Thurber family

More information is included under the topic Early Thurber Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thurber Ranking

In the United States, the name Thurber is the 6,462^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2

Thurber migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Thurber family to immigrate North America:

Thurber Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Thurber, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1671 3

Thurber Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Thurber, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3

Thurber migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Thurber Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Benjamin Thurber, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
Daniel Thurber, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760
Edward Thurber, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
Sam Thurber, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760

Thurber migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Thurber Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Robert Thurber, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1839 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Thurber (post 1700) +

Clarence Howe Thurber (1888-1966), American 19th head football coach for the Wabash College Little Giants, Crawfordsville, Indiana
Frederick B. Thurber, American sailing champion in the early 1900s, eponym of the Frederick B. Thurber Invitational Trophy Race
James A. Thurber, American University Distinguished Professor of Government at the American University in Washington
Charles Thurber (1803-1886), American inventor, bets known for his innovations in the early development of the typewriter, he patented in 1843 the first practical typewriter and in 1854, the Chirographer
Lucy Thurber, American playwright based in New York City
Delos Packard Thurber (1916-1987), American bronze medalist high jumper at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Francis Beattie Thurber, American millionaire grocery wholesaler
Rawson Marshall Thurber (b. 1975), American director and writer of films and commercials
Jeannette Thurber (1850-1946), American philanthropist, founder of the National Conservatory of Music of America, wife of Francis Thurber
James Grover Thurber (1894-1961), American humorist, cartoonist, author, journalist, and celebrated wit, best known for his cartoons and short stories in The New Yorker
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THOMAS HARRISON 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839ThomasHarrison.htm