Show ContentsThurloe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Thurloe is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Thurloe 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 Thurloe family

The surname Thurloe 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 Thurloe family

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

Thurloe 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 Thurloe family name include Thurlow, Thurlough, Thurlowe, Thurloe, Thurlo, Thurlows, Thurles and many more.

Early Notables of the Thurloe family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • John Thurloe (1616-1668), Secretary of State, baptised on 12 June 1616, the son of Thomas Thurloe, rector of Abbot's Roding, Essex1...

Ireland Migration of the Thurloe family to Ireland

Some of the Thurloe 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.


United States Thurloe 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 Thurloe family to immigrate North America:

Thurloe Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Thurloe, who landed in Virginia in 1663 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Thurloe (post 1700) +

  • John Thurloe (1616-1668), English parliamentarian politician


The Thurloe 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
  2. 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)


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