The Thornhill surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,327 people carried this name — #4,817 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 40,300 people counted. That is up 3% from 7,115 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Thornhill surname

As an English and Welsh surname

An early record he cites: Walter de Thornhulle, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Thornhill and Thornell.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 746 · public domain.

As a surname in the United Kingdom

Harrison classes it as an English name: ‘Dweller at the Thorn-Tree Hill’.

Or from Thornhill, in Yorkshire (the Domesday Tornil).

From Henry Harrison, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary, vol. II (London: The Morland Press, 1918), p. 218 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Thornhill was found among the farmers of Cheshire: 19 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cheshire 19

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Thornhill in American newspapers,
1865.

Newspaper page from Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, And Rebel Ventilator carrying the name Thornhill
Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, And Rebel Ventilator 1865-10-25
Newspaper page from Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, And Rebel Ventilator carrying the name Thornhill
Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, And Rebel Ventilator 1865-10-18
Newspaper page from Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, And Rebel Ventilator carrying the name Thornhill
Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, And Rebel Ventilator 1865-10-04

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 22,329 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Thornhill in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

4,430 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Thornhill. The most, 898, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 1,712
Victoria 1,019
New South Wales 945
Western Australia 255
South Australia 184
Tasmania 182
ACT (Canberra) 122
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Thornhill.

Who carried it

People named Thornhill,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Thornhill d. 1662
  • Sarah Thornhill d. 1766
  • Sarah Barne d. 1758
  • Thomas Thornhill d. 1800
  • Charles Thornhill d. 1881
  • Sarah Thornhill d. 1880

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Thornhill,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States647 records

647 records of the Thornhill name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 274
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 112
  • Other U.S. records 261
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William Joseph Thornhill

    Born 1943; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Phuoc Long, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James D. Thornhill

    Born 1913 in Virginia. Enlisted 1941 at New York City; driver from New York County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1974, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth Thornhill

    Arrived at New York in 1852 aboard the William D. Sewall from Liverpool, aged 52; moulder. From Manchester, England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 647 records for Thornhill in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia293 records

293 records of the Thornhill name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 155
  • Tasmanian Names Index 61
  • Other Australian records 77
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Annie Maria Thornhill

    Born 1869 in Hobart, Tasmania. Married 1889 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 19.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Thornhill

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Marquis of Hastings, arriving 1827; ticket of leave 1832.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Thornhill

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Royal Charter, aged 42; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 293 records for Thornhill in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada40 records

40 records of the Thornhill name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 25
  • Halifax municipal cemeteries 6
  • Other Canadian records 9
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Robert Thornhill

    Buried in 1971 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 90.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Tammy Christina Thornhill

    Died 1966 in Jollimore, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Abram George Thornhill

    Died in service in 1942.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 40 records for Thornhill in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom19 records

19 records of the Thornhill name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 10
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Other British records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James William Thornhill

    Buried in 1986 at Gartmore Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 68.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Anne Thornhill

    Will proved in 1927; of Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. W. Thornhill

    Rifle Brigade. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Thornhill in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands6 records

6 records of the Thornhill name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Albert Edward Thornhill

    Married in 1946 in Winschoten; farmer.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Margarett Thornhill

    Married in 1747 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Harriët Thornhill

    In a population register; born 1860 in West Drayton.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Thornhill in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Thornhill name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kenneth Charles Thornhill

    Died 1995, aged 67; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Thornhill

    Died 1909, aged 75; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Thornhill name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Colin Craig Thornhill

    Born 1962 in Great Britain; died 1997 in Coudekerque-Branche (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Thornhill.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Thornhill is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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