Thornberry
An English locational surname referring to someone who lived near a thorny hill or mound.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,571 Americans carry the last name Thornberry. That puts it at #13,646 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 133,316 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thornberry surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 133,316
Census rank
#13,646
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,219 bearers of the surname Thornberry in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13646th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thornberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Thornberry
The surname Thornberry originated in England and has been recorded since the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words 'thorn' meaning a hawthorn bush and 'bury' meaning a fortified manor or dwelling place. Therefore, it was likely given to someone who lived near a hawthorn bush or a thorn-covered hill.
The earliest known record of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as Thornbiry. Other early spellings include Thornbery, Thornberie, and Thornberry. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to places called Thornbury or similar variations, such as Thornberia in Gloucestershire and Thornberie in Wiltshire. These place names likely contributed to the development of the Thornberry surname.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Thornbery, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327. Another early bearer was William Thornbury, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1332.
Notable individuals with the surname Thornberry include:
1. Sir John Thornberry (c. 1445 – 1515), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Bristol in 1491 and 1510.
2. Thomas Thornberry (c. 1570 – 1635), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
3. Edward Thornberry (1767 – 1846), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Walter Thornberry (1836 – 1902), an American politician who served as a US Congressman from Texas from 1887 to 1891.
5. Sir James Thornberry (1887 – 1962), a British judge and Lord Justice of Appeal who was known for his work in reforming the legal system.
The Thornberry surname has been found across various parts of the United Kingdom and has also been carried to other countries by British emigrants over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thornberry
Among Census respondents with the surname Thornberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Thornberry bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Thornberry surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.0%
- Hispanic or Latino1.9%
- Two or more races1.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Thornberry surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,646 | #13,646 | 0.0% |
| Count | 2,219 | 2,219 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Thornberry bearers went from 2,219 to 2,219 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #13,646 to #13,646.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Thornberry
FAQ
Thornberry surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Thornberry?
The surname Thornberry holds position #13,646 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,571 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Thornberry surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thornberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.