NameCensus.

UK surname

Thoburn

From a place name referring to someone living near the thorn tree or bushes.

In the 1881 census there were 199 people recorded with the Thoburn surname, ranking it #12,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 391, ranked #12,073, up from #12,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Gateshead and Bonhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Carlisle and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thoburn is 432 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.5%.

1881 census count

199

Ranked #12,880

Modern count

391

2016, ranked #12,073

Peak year

2002

432 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thoburn had 199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 391 in 2016, ranked #12,073.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 291 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Thoburn surname distribution map

The map shows where the Thoburn surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Thoburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thoburn over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 166 #11,986
1861 historical 158 #14,644
1881 historical 199 #12,880
1891 historical 201 #14,866
1901 historical 291 #11,893
1911 historical 277 #12,067
1997 modern 398 #11,051
1998 modern 416 #11,037
1999 modern 423 #10,982
2000 modern 419 #11,028
2001 modern 427 #10,673
2002 modern 432 #10,801
2003 modern 420 #10,862
2004 modern 422 #10,838
2005 modern 404 #11,100
2006 modern 405 #11,131
2007 modern 400 #11,374
2008 modern 414 #11,160
2009 modern 417 #11,346
2010 modern 422 #11,493
2011 modern 410 #11,644
2012 modern 391 #11,923
2013 modern 388 #12,204
2014 modern 401 #11,979
2015 modern 388 #12,188
2016 modern 391 #12,073

Geography

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Where Thoburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Gateshead, Bonhill, Chester-le-Street and Tynemouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Carlisle, Gateshead and North Tyneside. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Bonhill Dunbarton
4 Chester-le-Street Durham
5 Tynemouth Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
2 Carlisle 009 Carlisle
3 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
4 North Tyneside 021 North Tyneside
5 Carlisle 001 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thoburn

These lists show first names that appear often with the Thoburn surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thoburn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thoburn, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Thoburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Thoburn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Thoburn is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thoburn is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thoburn falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thoburn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Thoburn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Thoburn

The surname Thoburn originated in England, likely emerging in the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to be derived from a place name, possibly referring to a location with a thorny bush or thicket. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Thornburne, found in tax rolls from Yorkshire in 1379.

The name Thoburn is thought to have its roots in the Old English words "thorn" and "burna," meaning "thorn stream" or "thorn brook." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where a stream or brook flowed through a thorny area or past a thorny bush.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Thornburne, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1412. These rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer, indicating that John Thornburne was a person of some means during that time.

In the 16th century, the Thoburn name appeared in various forms, such as Thornborne, Thornburne, and Thornbyrn, reflecting the variations in spelling common in that era. One notable individual from this period was Sir William Thornborne, a member of the English Parliament who lived from 1535 to 1611.

As the name spread across England, it also took on different spellings based on regional variations and local dialects. For instance, in the 17th century, there are records of a Thomas Thoburn from Derbyshire, born in 1623.

Another prominent figure bearing the Thoburn name was Samuel Thoburn, an English-born Methodist missionary who lived from 1842 to 1901. He is credited with establishing the Methodist Episcopal Church in India and played a significant role in spreading Christianity in the subcontinent.

In the 19th century, the Thoburn surname gained recognition through the work of Joseph Bradford Thoburn, an American Methodist missionary born in 1840. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Samuel, and made notable contributions to the Methodist Church in India.

While the Thoburn name has its roots in England, it has since been carried across the globe by individuals and families. Throughout its history, the surname has been associated with various professions, from landowners and parliamentarians to missionaries and religious leaders, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thoburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thoburn surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 61 Thoburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.56x.

County Total Index
Durham 61 10.56x
Northumberland 47 16.27x
Cumberland 35 20.94x
Lancashire 20 0.87x
Surrey 8 0.85x
Lanarkshire 7 1.12x
Renfrewshire 5 3.32x
Dunbartonshire 3 5.75x
Ayrshire 2 1.38x
Sussex 2 0.61x
Angus 1 0.56x
Channel Islands 1 1.74x
Devon 1 0.25x
Glamorgan 1 0.30x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 3.56x
Middlesex 1 0.05x
Morayshire 1 3.32x
Perthshire 1 1.15x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldewgate in Cumberland leads with 21 Thoburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 229.26x.

Place Total Index
Caldewgate 21 229.26x
Gateshead 16 37.01x
Trimdon 15 735.29x
Stella 11 2244.90x
Elswick 10 43.38x
Newchurch 10 53.08x
Lambeth 8 4.73x
Byker 7 49.02x
Newbrough 7 1372.55x
Westward 7 1000.00x
Govan 6 3.86x
Manchester 6 5.79x
Westoe 6 18.33x
Kirkoswald 5 1282.05x
Whickham 5 94.16x
Bedlington 4 41.49x
Heworth 4 35.15x
Renfrew 4 80.48x
Spotland 4 15.62x
Bonhill 3 35.84x
Chirton 3 45.87x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 17.39x
Tynemouth 3 19.39x
Brighton 2 3.03x
Kilmarnock 2 11.57x
Monk Hesleden 2 124.22x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 13.36x
North Shields 2 34.72x
Aberfoyle 1 322.58x
Cardiff St Mary 1 5.37x
Cowpen 1 15.04x
Dundee 1 1.49x
Glasgow 1 0.90x
Goole 1 31.06x
Hepple 1 2000.00x
Lidford 1 55.25x
Long Houghton 1 333.33x
Morpeth 1 29.41x
Newton On The Moor 1 666.67x
Preston In Tynemouth 1 87.72x
Rafford 1 142.86x
Rerrick 1 82.64x
Rickergate 1 28.25x
South Shields 1 19.46x
St Anne Soho London 1 9.03x
St Martin 1 28.41x
St Mary Within 1 47.85x
Sunderland 1 9.80x
West Greenock 1 3.70x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Thoburn surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 20
Jane 10
Margaret 9
Ann 8
Elizabeth 8
Isabella 5
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Sarah 3
Bridget 2
Dorothy 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Celina 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Linley 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
May 1
Wilhemia 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Thoburn surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 18
Thomas 14
William 14
Robert 11
Joseph 5
George 3
James 3
Alexander 2
David 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Ralph 2
Alexandra 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Isaac 1
Matthew 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Robt. 1

FAQ

Thoburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thoburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 199 people were recorded with the Thoburn surname. That placed it at #12,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thoburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 391 in 2016. That gives Thoburn a modern rank of #12,073.

What does the Thoburn surname mean?

From a place name referring to someone living near the thorn tree or bushes.

What does the Thoburn map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Thoburn bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.