Thurn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Thurn belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived near a thorn bush or hedge. Thurn is a local surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Other types of local surnames include topographic surnames, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. The surname Thurn comes from the Old English or Old Norse words which mean thorn. The surname Thurn may also be a habitational surname, for someone who came from a place named with this word, for example Thorne, in Somerset, or Thorns, in Suffolk. The Thurn family's origins date back to the period prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066, to the county of Somerset, where they resided at Thorne-Falcon and Thorne-St. Nargaret.

Early Origins of the Thurn family

The surname Thurn was first found in Somerset at Thorn(e) St. Margaret, a parish, in the union of Wellington, hundred of Milverton, about 3½ miles (W.) from Wellington. 1 The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Torne. 2

Some of the first records of the name include: Adam atte Thorne; and William de Thorn who were both listed in Kirby's Quest at the time of Edward III. 3 4 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists the following: Hugh Thorne in Cambridgeshire; and John de Thorn in Devon. 4

"At Thorne, [Devon] a family of that name were seated from the reign of King John till the early part of the seventeenth century. " 5

To confuse matters, another noted historian claims "the name is local, from Thornes in the parish of Shenstone, in the county of Stafford, where Robert, son of Roger de la Thorne, was resident early in the fourteenth century." 6 The integrity of this researcher bears no doubt.

However, we wish to have the reader note that this entry is significantly later that the previous entries and as such, in our opinion, is a later branch of the family. Great Thorness is a hamlet on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England.

Early History of the Thurn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thurn research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1206, 1272, 1275, 1296, 1397, 1527, 1568, 1573, 1610 and 1630 are included under the topic Early Thurn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thurn Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Thurn include Thorn, Thorne and others.

Early Notables of the Thurn family

Notables of the family at this time include John Thorne, Abbott of Reading, who was personally starved by King Henry VIII.William Thorne (fl. 1397), was an English historian, a monk of St. Augustine's, Canterbury and Robert Thorne (d. 1527), was an English merchant and geographical writer, the son...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thurn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Thurn family to Ireland

Some of the Thurn 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 Thurn family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Thurn were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: William Thorne settled in St. John's Newfoundland in 1762; Richard Thorne was a property owner and fisherman of Torbay, Newfoundland, in 1794; Joseph Thorn settled in Boston Mass in 1712.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.