NameCensus.

UK surname

Thrasher

An occupational surname referring to a person who threshes grain, separating the seeds from the husks and stalks.

In the 1881 census there were 174 people recorded with the Thrasher surname, ranking it #14,042 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 142, ranked #24,625, down from #14,042 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Petherton, North, Foleshill and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Stoke-on-Trent and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thrasher is 176 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.4%.

1881 census count

174

Ranked #14,042

Modern count

142

2016, ranked #24,625

Peak year

1901

176 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thrasher had 174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,042 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016, ranked #24,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Thrasher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thrasher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thrasher 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 174 #14,042
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 174 #16,311
1997 modern 125 #23,567
1998 modern 150 #21,665
1999 modern 146 #22,202
2000 modern 140 #22,752
2001 modern 141 #22,344
2002 modern 151 #21,809
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 151 #21,667
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 150 #23,264
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 142 #24,617
2016 modern 142 #24,625

Geography

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Where Thrashers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Petherton, North, Foleshill, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, Birmingham Town: Aston and Marston Bigott, Frome Selwood, Rodden, Berkeley, Standerwick, Beckington, Laverton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-on-Avon, Hillingdon and North Kesteven. 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 Petherton, North Somerset
2 Foleshill Warwickshire
3 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 Marston Bigott, Frome Selwood, Rodden, Berkeley, Standerwick, Beckington, Laverton Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 004 Bedford
2 Stoke-on-Trent 018 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
4 Hillingdon 009 Hillingdon
5 North Kesteven 009 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thrasher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thrasher

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thrasher, 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 Thrasher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Thrasher 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Thrasher 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

Thrasher 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

Thrasher 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 Thrasher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Thrasher

The surname Thrasher has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "þrescan," which means "to thresh" or "to beat." This occupation-based surname was initially given to individuals who worked as threshers, threshing grains by separating the edible parts from the inedible husks.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a "Johannes le Thressher." The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also reference a "Ricardus le Thressher."

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Thressher, Thressere, and Thressare, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The name was also associated with certain place names, such as Thrasher's Field in Middlesex and Thrasher's Close in Buckinghamshire.

Notable individuals who bore the surname Thrasher include Sir John Thrasher (c. 1535-1601), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire. Another notable figure was William Thrasher (1683-1743), a prominent Quaker preacher and writer from Pennsylvania.

In the 17th century, the surname gained prominence in Scotland, with records showing instances of the name in Aberdeen and Fife. One notable Scot was Alexander Thrasher (1670-1738), a merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of Glasgow.

During the 18th century, the Thrasher family established itself in Ireland, particularly in County Antrim and County Down. John Thrasher (1720-1805), an Irish farmer and landowner from County Antrim, was a prominent figure of his time.

As the surname spread across the British Isles, various branches emerged, each with their own distinct histories and notable individuals. One such individual was Edward Thrasher (1805-1879), an English-born American engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines and agricultural machinery.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thrasher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thrasher 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. Warwickshire leads with 52 Thrashers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.29x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 52 12.29x
Somerset 32 11.85x
Kent 20 3.49x
Middlesex 14 0.83x
Lancashire 9 0.45x
Glamorgan 8 2.74x
Staffordshire 8 1.41x
Gloucestershire 6 1.82x
Suffolk 5 2.45x
Buckinghamshire 4 3.94x
Hampshire 3 0.87x
Hertfordshire 3 2.59x
Leicestershire 2 1.08x
Wiltshire 2 1.35x
Berkshire 1 0.79x
Dorset 1 0.91x
Royal Navy 1 5.00x
Yorkshire 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. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 22 Thrashers recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.88x.

Place Total Index
Aston 22 18.88x
Foleshill 16 359.55x
Coventry St Michael 13 95.66x
Deptford St Nicholas 9 198.24x
Frome 9 139.32x
Denton 8 181.41x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 13.32x
Limehouse London 7 38.00x
North Petherton 7 321.10x
Stoke St Gregory 7 853.66x
Strood 7 214.07x
Clifton 6 36.06x
Mildenhall 5 230.41x
St George Hanover 5 22.83x
West Monkton 5 847.46x
Aylesbury 4 89.09x
Eglwysilan 4 78.90x
Roath 4 30.14x
Shenley 3 394.74x
Deptford St Paul 2 4.53x
Leicester St Martin 2 160.00x
Swindon 2 17.38x
Tonbridge 2 9.69x
Bedminster 1 3.94x
Bridgewater 1 13.64x
Brightside Bierlow 1 3.07x
Caundle Bishop 1 526.32x
Edgbaston 1 7.62x
Everton 1 1.58x
Hampstead London 1 3.83x
Holdenhurst 1 11.09x
Huntspill 1 90.09x
Hurst 1 60.61x
Islington London 1 0.61x
Portsea 1 1.48x
Romsey Infra 1 85.47x
Royal Navy 1 5.85x
Weston Super Mare 1 14.66x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Thrasher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thrasher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 174 people were recorded with the Thrasher surname. That placed it at #14,042 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thrasher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016. That gives Thrasher a modern rank of #24,625.

What does the Thrasher surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who threshes grain, separating the seeds from the husks and stalks.

What does the Thrasher map show?

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