NameCensus.

UK surname

Thornborrow

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Thornborrow surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 243, ranked #17,131, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkby Stephen, Orton and Penrith. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, South Ribble and Richmondshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thornborrow is 310 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.3%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

243

2016, ranked #17,131

Peak year

1911

310 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thornborrow had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 243 in 2016, ranked #17,131.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 310 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Thornborrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thornborrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thornborrow 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 113 #19,151
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 236 #13,616
1911 historical 310 #11,180
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 261 #15,241
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 268 #15,018
2001 modern 256 #15,273
2002 modern 260 #15,415
2003 modern 235 #16,291
2004 modern 236 #16,335
2005 modern 238 #16,198
2006 modern 243 #16,052
2007 modern 237 #16,571
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 243 #16,742
2010 modern 247 #16,931
2011 modern 235 #17,328
2012 modern 228 #17,584
2013 modern 244 #17,072
2014 modern 247 #17,035
2015 modern 245 #17,040
2016 modern 243 #17,131

Geography

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Where Thornborrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkby Stephen, Orton, Penrith, Whalley and Kirkby Lonsdale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, South Ribble, Richmondshire, South Lakeland and Carlisle. 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 Kirkby Stephen Westmorland
2 Orton Westmorland
3 Penrith Cumberland
4 Whalley Lancashire
5 Kirkby Lonsdale Westmorland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 007 Eden
2 South Ribble 017 South Ribble
3 Richmondshire 005 Richmondshire
4 South Lakeland 004 South Lakeland
5 Carlisle 012 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thornborrow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thornborrow

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Thornborrow 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

Thornborrow 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

Thornborrow falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thornborrow 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 Thornborrow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Thornborrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thornborrow 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. Westmorland leads with 70 Thornborrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 217.73x.

County Total Index
Westmorland 70 217.73x
Cumberland 25 19.85x
Lancashire 18 1.04x
Durham 10 2.30x
Middlesex 10 0.68x
Yorkshire 9 0.62x
Midlothian 4 2.04x
Isle of Man 2 7.36x
Northumberland 2 0.92x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Orton in Westmorland leads with 16 Thornborrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.

Place Total Index
Orton 16 1666.67x
Penrith 13 279.57x
Kirkby Lonsdale 11 1264.37x
Undermilbeck 8 754.72x
Woodside Quarter 7 2333.33x
Muker 6 1428.57x
Scalthwaiterigg 6 3750.00x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 36.26x
Clerkenwell London 5 14.48x
Langdale 5 1351.35x
Patterdale 5 1388.89x
Stainmore 5 2000.00x
Dalston 4 412.37x
Everton 4 7.23x
South Leith 4 18.13x
Westoe 4 16.21x
Acton 3 34.97x
Liverpool 3 2.85x
Burton 2 588.24x
Dufton 2 952.38x
Ford 2 153.85x
Gateshead 2 6.14x
Kensington London 2 2.46x
Long Marton 2 555.56x
Longbenton 2 21.69x
Onchan 2 25.54x
Sunderland 2 26.01x
Thornaby 2 36.90x
Carperby Cum Thoresby 1 666.67x
Cartmel Fell 1 666.67x
Hay Hutton In Hay 1 909.09x
Kirkby Stephen 1 120.48x
Lancaster 1 9.68x
Leck 1 714.29x
Nether Staveley 1 625.00x
Preston Quarter 1 28.33x
Preston Richard 1 333.33x
Skelsmergh 1 526.32x
Strickland Roger 1 454.55x
Walton On Hill 1 10.64x
West Derby 1 1.97x
Winton 1 769.23x
Witherslack 1 370.37x
Withington 1 17.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Margaret 5
Edith 4
Elizabeth 4
Jane 4
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Annie 2
Eleanor 2
Hannah 2
Mabel 2
Margt. 2
Alice 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Harriot 1
Jemina 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Margt.Annie 1
Nancy 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 14
George 9
William 9
John 8
Joseph 6
Robert 6
James 4
Richard 4
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Ed 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Jonathan 1
Jos.Wm. 1
Matthew 1
Wilson 1

FAQ

Thornborrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thornborrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Thornborrow surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thornborrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 243 in 2016. That gives Thornborrow a modern rank of #17,131.

What does the Thornborrow map show?

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