NameCensus.

UK surname

Thurgood

A variant form of the English surname Thoroughgood, derived from the Old English words "thuruh" (through) and "god" (good).

In the 1881 census there were 1,053 people recorded with the Thurgood surname, ranking it #3,742 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,193, ranked #4,993, down from #3,742 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Saffron Walden and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, Gateshead and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thurgood is 1,440 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.3%.

1881 census count

1,053

Ranked #3,742

Modern count

1,193

2016, ranked #4,993

Peak year

1911

1,440 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thurgood had 1,053 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,742 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,193 in 2016, ranked #4,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,440 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Thurgood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thurgood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thurgood 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 754 #3,526
1861 historical 589 #4,487
1881 historical 1,053 #3,742
1891 historical 1,128 #3,765
1901 historical 1,338 #3,739
1911 historical 1,440 #3,358
1997 modern 1,287 #4,429
1998 modern 1,304 #4,557
1999 modern 1,294 #4,619
2000 modern 1,310 #4,543
2001 modern 1,264 #4,602
2002 modern 1,259 #4,707
2003 modern 1,209 #4,777
2004 modern 1,224 #4,728
2005 modern 1,170 #4,862
2006 modern 1,135 #4,993
2007 modern 1,153 #4,976
2008 modern 1,152 #5,009
2009 modern 1,202 #4,934
2010 modern 1,236 #4,916
2011 modern 1,194 #5,004
2012 modern 1,196 #4,928
2013 modern 1,219 #4,925
2014 modern 1,232 #4,902
2015 modern 1,191 #5,006
2016 modern 1,193 #4,993

Geography

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Where Thurgoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Saffron Walden, St John Hackney and Hadham, Much. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, Gateshead, Maldon, Uttlesford and East Hertfordshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Saffron Walden Essex
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Hadham, Much Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 004 Chelmsford
2 Gateshead 019 Gateshead
3 Maldon 005 Maldon
4 Uttlesford 005 Uttlesford
5 East Hertfordshire 005 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thurgood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thurgood

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Thurgood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Thurgood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Thurgood 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

Thurgood is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thurgood falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Thurgood

The surname THURGOOD is of English origin, derived from a medieval place name meaning "the good thorpe" or "the good village." It is believed to have originated in the county of Norfolk, England, during the early Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname THURGOOD can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record compiled in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I. The name is listed as "Thurghod," which was likely an early spelling variation.

As the surname evolved over time, it took on various spellings, including Thurgoode, Thurgood, and Thurgude. These variations can be found in various historical records, such as parish registers, tax rolls, and court documents from the 14th to 17th centuries.

In the late 16th century, the THURGOOD surname appeared in the records of the Norfolk Visitation, a survey of noble and gentry families conducted by the College of Arms. This suggests that some families bearing the name had achieved a certain level of social standing by that time.

One notable individual with the surname THURGOOD was Robert Thurgood (c. 1623-1663), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Trent, Somerset. He published several theological works, including "A Vindication of the Protestant Doctrine of Justification" in 1658.

Another figure of historical significance was Benjamin Thurgood (1732-1795), an English Particular Baptist minister and theologian from Bristol. He was a prominent figure in the Baptist community of his time and authored several influential works on Baptist doctrine and church governance.

In the 19th century, the THURGOOD surname gained prominence with the birth of Amos Thurgood (1810-1888), a successful businessman and industrialist from Gloucestershire, England. He founded the Thurgood Ironworks, which played a significant role in the region's industrial development during the Victorian era.

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname THURGOOD was Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993), the first African American to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Although not directly related to the English surname, his name has become synonymous with the fight for civil rights and racial equality in American history.

While these are just a few examples, the surname THURGOOD has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins rooted in the English countryside and evolving to become a name associated with various notable figures across different fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thurgood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thurgood 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. Essex leads with 376 Thurgoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.51x.

County Total Index
Essex 376 18.51x
Middlesex 247 2.40x
Hertfordshire 155 21.85x
Surrey 99 1.97x
Cambridgeshire 45 6.90x
Kent 33 0.94x
Suffolk 29 2.31x
Derbyshire 14 0.87x
Durham 13 0.42x
Oxfordshire 7 1.10x
Sussex 7 0.40x
Yorkshire 6 0.06x
Lancashire 4 0.03x
Leicestershire 4 0.35x
Norfolk 4 0.25x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.92x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Berkshire 1 0.13x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.24x
Devon 1 0.05x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Radnorshire 1 1.20x
Royal Navy 1 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishop Stortford in Hertfordshire leads with 59 Thurgoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 249.05x.

Place Total Index
Bishop Stortford 59 249.05x
Great Hadham 42 917.03x
Terling 38 1250.00x
Hatfield Peverel 25 569.48x
Littlebury 24 857.14x
Saffron Walden 24 111.84x
Bethnal Green London 21 4.70x
Islington London 20 2.01x
St Pancras London 20 2.41x
Lambeth 19 2.12x
Grays Thurrock 18 95.34x
Harlow 18 205.71x
Croydon 17 6.11x
Hackney London 17 2.95x
Shoreditch London 17 3.81x
West Ham 17 3.79x
Widdington 17 1278.20x
Kensington London 15 2.62x
Edmonton 14 16.88x
Farnham 14 790.96x
Little Wilbraham 14 965.52x
Poplar London 14 7.21x
Baldock 12 179.91x
Carlton 12 1008.40x
Great Bradley 12 944.88x
Battersea 11 2.90x
Bromley London 11 4.86x
Cowlinge 10 416.67x
Newington 10 2.63x
Stoke Newington London 10 12.48x
East Barnet 9 63.97x
Landbeach 9 500.00x
Wanstead 9 25.30x
Bermondsey 8 2.61x
Bow London 8 6.11x
Camberwell 8 1.22x
Great Waltham 8 96.62x
Little Hallingbury 8 390.24x
Mile End Old Town 8 4.92x
St Luke London 8 4.85x
Streatham 8 10.48x
Tottenham 8 4.88x
Walthamstow 8 10.94x
Westminster St 8 21.09x
Wimbledon 8 14.21x
Abbots Roothing 7 864.20x
Bobbingworth 7 654.21x
Boreham 7 199.43x
Bradwell 7 201.15x
Childerditch 7 897.44x
Furneux Pelham 7 348.26x
High Laver 7 416.67x
Oxford St Clement 7 43.64x
St George Hanover 7 5.21x
Stanford Rivers 7 204.08x
Broxbourne 6 42.67x
Headlam 6 1578.95x
Laindon 6 530.97x
Latton 6 731.71x
Lewisham 6 3.20x
Manuden 6 236.22x
Milton In Gravesend 6 11.39x
Paddington London 6 1.59x
Woodford 6 26.09x
Writtle 6 72.29x
Brighton 5 1.43x
Brimington 5 40.88x
Darlington 5 4.23x
Debden 5 174.22x
Great Bardfield 5 149.70x
Litchurch 5 7.71x
Orford 5 123.76x
St Marylebone London 5 0.91x
Wortley In Bramley 5 6.19x
Bexley 4 12.89x
Clerkenwell London 4 1.65x
Great Dunmow 4 37.77x
St Marythe Less 4 101.01x
Tillingham 4 111.73x
Tonbridge 4 3.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 65
John 60
James 48
George 42
Charles 24
Joseph 21
Arthur 20
Thomas 18
Henry 17
Alfred 15
Albert 11
Frederick 9
Samuel 9
Walter 9
Harry 8
Robert 8
Benjamin 6
Frank 6
Edward 5
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Lawrence 5
Stephen 5
Daniel 4
Edgar 4
Geo. 4
Elijah 3
Herbert 3
Mark 3
Richard 3
Bertie 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Jas. 2
Josiah 2
Laurence 2
Nathan 2
Abram 1
Alexander 1
Benjaman 1
Benjn.Tomson 1
Effraim 1
Ellis 1
Esau 1
Eugene 1
Ezra 1
Jacob 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Thurgood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thurgood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,053 people were recorded with the Thurgood surname. That placed it at #3,742 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thurgood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,193 in 2016. That gives Thurgood a modern rank of #4,993.

What does the Thurgood surname mean?

A variant form of the English surname Thoroughgood, derived from the Old English words "thuruh" (through) and "god" (good).

What does the Thurgood map show?

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