NameCensus.

UK surname

Thornber

A habitational surname derived from a location with thorn bushes or thorny trees.

In the 1881 census there were 733 people recorded with the Thornber surname, ranking it #4,990 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 611, ranked #8,591, down from #4,990 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whalley and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Calderdale and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thornber is 866 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.6%.

1881 census count

733

Ranked #4,990

Modern count

611

2016, ranked #8,591

Peak year

1911

866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thornber had 733 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,990 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016, ranked #8,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Thornber surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thornber surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thornber 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 482 #5,171
1861 historical 327 #7,788
1881 historical 733 #4,990
1891 historical 644 #6,030
1901 historical 832 #5,451
1911 historical 866 #5,130
1997 modern 698 #7,262
1998 modern 727 #7,270
1999 modern 707 #7,457
2000 modern 725 #7,300
2001 modern 693 #7,433
2002 modern 703 #7,483
2003 modern 686 #7,505
2004 modern 683 #7,554
2005 modern 632 #7,958
2006 modern 634 #7,958
2007 modern 640 #7,962
2008 modern 639 #8,020
2009 modern 653 #8,042
2010 modern 658 #8,165
2011 modern 638 #8,281
2012 modern 621 #8,359
2013 modern 631 #8,407
2014 modern 629 #8,473
2015 modern 613 #8,592
2016 modern 611 #8,591

Geography

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Where Thornbers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Calderdale and Burnley. 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 Whalley Lancashire
2 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 002 Ribble Valley
2 Calderdale 027 Calderdale
3 Ribble Valley 003 Ribble Valley
4 Burnley 014 Burnley
5 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thornber

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thornber

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thornber, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Thornber surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Thornber household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Thornber is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thornber 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

Thornber falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thornber is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Thornber

The surname Thornber is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words "thorn" and "beorg," which combined together mean "thorn-tree hill" or "thorn-covered hill."

This surname likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a hill or ridge covered with thorny bushes or trees. It could also have been used as a topographic name for someone who resided in a particular area known for its thorny vegetation.

One of the earliest recorded references to this surname can be found in the Lancashire Inquests of the 13th century, where a man named Richard de Thornbergh is mentioned. The "de" prefix indicates that this individual hailed from a place called Thornbergh or Thornber.

In the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, a record exists of a Richard de Thornburgh, which is believed to be an alternative spelling of the same surname. These early references suggest that the name was well-established in the northern counties of England by the late medieval period.

Notable individuals with the surname Thornber include Walter Thornber (c. 1758-1828), an English antiquarian and topographer from Yorkshire, who published several works on the history and antiquities of the region. Another notable figure was Thomas Thornber (1826-1889), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the 19th century.

In the literary world, Reverend William Thornber (1793-1866) was a notable clergyman and author from Lancashire, who wrote extensively on the history and topography of his native county. His works include "An Historical and Descriptive Account of Blackpool and its Neighbourhood" (1837) and "The History of Blackpool and its Vicinity" (1837).

The surname Thornber can also be found in historical records from other parts of England, such as Berkshire and Wiltshire, indicating that the name spread beyond its northern origins over time. For example, Thomas Thornber (c. 1627-1677) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

Another notable individual was Walter Thornber (1847-1915), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Lancashire, including the Tyldesley Town Hall and the Rawcliffe Hall in Garstang.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thornber families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thornber 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. Lancashire leads with 480 Thornbers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 480 5.65x
Yorkshire 188 2.65x
Westmorland 12 7.63x
Cheshire 10 0.63x
Berkshire 9 1.67x
Dorset 6 1.28x
Cumberland 5 0.81x
Bedfordshire 4 1.08x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.41x
Surrey 4 0.11x
Middlesex 3 0.04x
Durham 2 0.09x
Kent 2 0.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.17x
Suffolk 1 0.11x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 69 Thornbers recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.52x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 69 30.52x
Habergham Eaves 61 78.55x
Clitheroe 52 207.92x
Burnley 41 57.30x
Colne 27 106.68x
Over Darwen 18 26.53x
Bolton By Bowland 17 988.37x
Preston 17 7.48x
Padiham 16 77.93x
Ardwick 15 19.57x
Whalley 15 121.16x
Barnoldswick 14 141.41x
Great Little Marsden 14 35.97x
Kendal 12 41.65x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 12 372.67x
Castleton 11 12.96x
Longwood 11 96.15x
Silsden 11 526.32x
Stainland Cum Old 10 82.37x
North Meols 9 10.82x
Old Windsor 9 144.69x
Aighton Bailey 8 195.60x
Hipperholme Cum 8 25.66x
Lower Darwen 8 71.75x
Malham 8 2222.22x
Moss Side 8 17.89x
Grindleton 7 457.52x
Halifax 7 6.72x
Thornton In Fylde 7 37.65x
Wigglesworth 7 1346.15x
Burton Bradstock 6 258.62x
Burton In Lonsdale 6 392.16x
Bury 6 6.18x
Cleckheaton 6 22.95x
Layton With Warbreck 6 19.24x
Wadsworth 6 51.95x
Goldshaw Booth 5 574.71x
Liverpool 5 0.97x
Markington Cum 5 438.60x
Rishworth 5 183.82x
Wardleworth 5 10.30x
Whitehaven 5 15.22x
Addingham 4 75.47x
Bedford St Paul 4 15.73x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 2.96x
Erringden 4 87.34x
Gisburn Forrest 4 625.00x
Higham With West Close 4 217.39x
Nottingham St Mary 4 1.60x
Over 4 24.91x
Ribchester 4 124.61x
Skipton 4 17.91x
Tottington Lower End 4 9.91x
Accrington 3 3.88x
Barrowford Booth 3 31.91x
Battersea 3 1.14x
Bradford 3 1.75x
Briercliffe Cum 3 106.38x
Cononley 3 147.06x
Islington London 3 0.43x
Kildwick 3 46.44x
Manchester 3 0.79x
Manningham 3 3.43x
Northowram 3 6.03x
Sale 3 15.47x
Skircoat 3 10.72x
Warley 3 14.63x
Broughton In Salford 2 2.57x
Cheadle 2 6.62x
Draughton 2 454.55x
Horton In Bradford 2 1.81x
Horton In Clitheroe 2 869.57x
Little Bolton 2 1.83x
Martons Both 2 344.83x
Poulton Le Fylde 2 66.45x
Quernmore 2 139.86x
Rathmell 2 370.37x
Sawley In Clitheroe 2 454.55x
Walton Le Dale 2 8.76x
Warrington 2 1.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Elizabeth 33
Sarah 30
Alice 28
Margaret 17
Jane 14
Ann 13
Ellen 13
Martha 13
Annie 12
Hannah 10
Nancy 10
Isabella 9
Eliza 7
Agnes 5
Betsy 5
Emma 5
Catherine 4
Clara 4
Rachel 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Edith 3
Emily 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Betty 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz. 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Margret 2
Maud 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Bertha 1
Edna 1
Elizebeth 1
Johanna 1
Vermia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 53
William 52
Thomas 31
James 26
Richard 18
Henry 10
George 8
Joseph 7
Robert 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Wm. 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Thos. 4
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Giles 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Ralph 3
Samuel 3
Stephen 3
Anthony 2
Christopher 2
Edwin 2
Elijah 2
Enoch 2
Ernest 2
Norman 2
Robinson 2
Walter 2
Alex 1
Clement 1
Cornelius 1
Cyril 1
Ephraim 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Geo. 1
Jonathen 1
Joshua 1
Lambert 1
Layland 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Wm.A. 1

FAQ

Thornber surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thornber surname in 1881?

In 1881, 733 people were recorded with the Thornber surname. That placed it at #4,990 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thornber surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016. That gives Thornber a modern rank of #8,591.

What does the Thornber surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a location with thorn bushes or thorny trees.

What does the Thornber map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Thornber 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.