NameCensus.

UK surname

Thornes

A surname derived from a place name and likely referring to someone from a location named Thornes.

In the 1881 census there were 244 people recorded with the Thornes surname, ranking it #11,258 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 232, ranked #17,694, down from #11,258 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mirfield, Thornhill and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Tameside and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thornes is 317 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.9%.

1881 census count

244

Ranked #11,258

Modern count

232

2016, ranked #17,694

Peak year

1911

317 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thornes had 244 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,258 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016, ranked #17,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 317 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Thornes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thornes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thornes 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 140 #13,593
1861 historical 212 #11,466
1881 historical 244 #11,258
1891 historical 276 #11,810
1901 historical 265 #12,652
1911 historical 317 #11,011
1997 modern 251 #15,236
1998 modern 251 #15,631
1999 modern 251 #15,751
2000 modern 238 #16,290
2001 modern 236 #16,094
2002 modern 231 #16,677
2003 modern 233 #16,394
2004 modern 239 #16,193
2005 modern 240 #16,092
2006 modern 243 #16,052
2007 modern 252 #15,815
2008 modern 248 #16,163
2009 modern 249 #16,466
2010 modern 250 #16,791
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 235 #17,242
2013 modern 240 #17,251
2014 modern 238 #17,480
2015 modern 229 #17,846
2016 modern 232 #17,694

Geography

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Where Thornes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mirfield, Thornhill, Lambeth, Batley and Dewsbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Tameside, Staffordshire Moorlands and Rotherham. 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 Mirfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Dewsbury Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 018 Kirklees
2 Tameside 020 Tameside
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 007 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Rotherham 023 Rotherham
5 Kirklees 028 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thornes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thornes

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Thornes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Thornes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Thornes is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thornes is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thornes 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 Thornes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Thornes

The surname Thornes is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "thorn," which refers to a thorny plant or bush. It is believed to have originated in England during the early medieval period, around the 7th to 11th centuries.

One of the earliest known references to the name Thornes can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Thornys," indicating its association with a thorny area or location.

During the Middle Ages, the name was commonly found in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. It was often used as a toponymic surname, referring to individuals who hailed from or lived near places with names containing the word "thorn," such as Thornhill, Thornton, or Thornbury.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Thornes dates back to the 13th century. In 1273, a Richard de Thornes was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire. Another early example is John de Thornes, who was recorded in the Wakefield Court Rolls of Yorkshire in 1317.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Thornes. One such person was Richard Thornes (c. 1567-1628), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Master of Magdalen College, Cambridge. Another notable figure was Sir Edward Thornes (1594-1669), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire.

In the literary realm, the name Thornes is associated with the English poet and writer Robert Thornes (1623-1676), known for his works such as "The Souldiers Meditations" and "The Remonstrance of the Commons of England." Additionally, John Thornes (1668-1756), an English clergyman and author, wrote several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Catholic Church."

Further notable individuals with the surname Thornes include Sir Henry Thornes (1802-1883), a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War, and Charles Edward Thornes (1856-1932), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thornes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thornes 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. Yorkshire leads with 165 Thornes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 165 7.00x
Shropshire 21 10.21x
Hampshire 9 1.84x
Middlesex 7 0.29x
Surrey 7 0.60x
Sussex 7 1.74x
Derbyshire 6 1.61x
Durham 6 0.85x
Staffordshire 6 0.75x
Worcestershire 6 1.93x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.70x
Glamorgan 1 0.24x
Lincolnshire 1 0.26x
Northamptonshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dewsbury in Yorkshire leads with 51 Thornes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 210.83x.

Place Total Index
Dewsbury 51 210.83x
Mirfield 18 139.00x
Soothill 16 187.79x
Batley 15 66.93x
Thornhill 13 188.95x
Shrewsbury St Chad 9 124.65x
Southampton St Mary 8 26.08x
Horbury 7 169.49x
Leeds 7 5.26x
Allerton Bywater 6 468.75x
Elvet 6 117.42x
Holy Trinity 6 10.58x
West Grinstead 6 495.87x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 32.94x
Wimbledon 5 38.40x
Wollaston 5 253.81x
Glossop Dale 4 22.92x
Melverley 4 2666.67x
Preston Gubbals 4 1142.86x
Sculcoates 4 10.70x
Wednesfield 4 33.84x
York St Mary 3 30.71x
Bowling 2 8.56x
Chelsea London 2 2.79x
Condover 2 137.93x
Islington London 2 0.87x
Ollersett 2 273.97x
Shipley 2 16.34x
Shitlington 2 81.97x
Thorp Arch 2 625.00x
Tong 2 43.86x
Willesden 2 8.91x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 11.68x
Battersea 1 1.14x
Castleford 1 11.64x
Chalfont St Peter 1 84.03x
Colton 1 181.82x
Gainsborough 1 11.15x
Hastings St Leonards 1 16.95x
Kinnerley 1 102.04x
Long Preston 1 172.41x
Lower Whitley 1 312.50x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 2.51x
Peterborough 1 6.17x
Portsea 1 1.05x
Shrewsbury St Mary 1 12.33x
St Andrew Holborn 1 12.39x
Stafford St Mary 1 8.80x
Sutton 1 11.92x
Upperswinford 1 38.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 9
Jane 7
Emma 6
Hannah 5
Margaret 5
Annie 4
Eliza 4
Frances 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Ida 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Mercy 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Dinah 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Haraiett 1
Harriett 1
Harriott 1
Helena 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Joseph 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Maria 1
Ruby 1
Sarrah 1
Sophia 1
Tamer 1
Zilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
Thomas 12
William 11
George 9
Joseph 9
Charles 5
James 5
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Senior 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Ben 1
Brooke 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earl 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Geoffrey 1
Hannah 1
Hanson 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Lambert 1
Lee 1
Moses 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Rufus 1
Sam 1
Smith 1
Swift 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Thornes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thornes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 244 people were recorded with the Thornes surname. That placed it at #11,258 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thornes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016. That gives Thornes a modern rank of #17,694.

What does the Thornes surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name and likely referring to someone from a location named Thornes.

What does the Thornes map show?

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