The Thurston surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,234 people carried this name — #2,385 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,400 people counted. That is up 2% from 14,918 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Thurston surname

A surname derived from the Old Norse given name Þorsteinn, brought to England by Vikings.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Thurston» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Thurstan’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Robert fil. Thurstani, Kent, 1273 — Hundred Rolls. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

His entry covers Thurstan, Thurston and Tustin.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 749 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Thurston was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Worcestershire: 12 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 833. 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

Worcestershire 12
Suffolk 10
Norfolk 8

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 the first U.S. census, 1790

152 families named Thurston, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 875 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 8 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 43
New York 26
New Hampshire 24
Rhode Island 23
Virginia 10
Maine 8
Vermont 7
South Carolina 4
Connecticut 3
North Carolina 3
Pennsylvania 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 265 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Thurston in American newspapers,
1898–1918.

Newspaper page from The Pensacola Journal carrying the name Thurston
The Pensacola Journal 1918-12-10
Newspaper page from The Lakeland Evening Telegram carrying the name Thurston
The Lakeland Evening Telegram 1913-06-16
Newspaper page from The Madison Daily Leader carrying the name Thurston
The Madison Daily Leader 1898-03-25

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 15,249 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Thurston in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

15,237 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Thurston. The most, 2,814, date from the 1920s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,640
South Australia 3,050
Victoria 2,958
Queensland 1,862
Western Australia 1,606
Tasmania 1,034
ACT (Canberra) 29
Northern Territory 9

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

Who carried it

People named Thurston,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Beatrice F. Thurston d. 2018 · botanical collector
  • Lester L. Thurston d. 1929
  • Margaret Thurston d. 1558
  • Cyril Daniel Thurston d. 1944
  • Haki Thurston d. 2007
  • Agnes Thurston 1533–

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

In the public record

People named Thurston,
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 States1,558 records

1,558 records of the Thurston name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 573
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 332
  • Other U.S. records 653
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Donald N. Thurston

    Born 1906 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1943 at Houston, Texas; power station operator. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Oakland Cemetery, Navasota, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Clair Hall Thurston

    Born 1943; from Thorndike, Maine. U.S. Army, parachutist; killed in action 1965 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Kate Thurston

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the City of Rome from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 44; servant. From London.

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

Showing 3 of 1,558 records for Thurston in the United States.

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

Australia384 records

384 records of the Thurston name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 298
  • Tasmanian Names Index 29
  • Other Australian records 57
  1. 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 Thomas Thurston

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Hive, arriving 1834; ticket of leave 1838.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1885 aboard the Lusitania, aged 17; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Richard Karl Thurston

    Company director of Brighton, Victoria; died 1999.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 384 records for Thurston 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) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada202 records

202 records of the Thurston name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 146
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 21
  • Other Canadian records 35
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Irene Olive Thurston

    Buried in 1999 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 89.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Annie Zillah Thurston

    Died 1972 in Yarmouth, 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 John Christian Thurston

    Died in service in 1916.

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

Showing 3 of 202 records for Thurston in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · 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 Kingdom17 records

17 records of the Thurston name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 12
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 4
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William John Thurston

    Will proved in 1941; of Llanelly.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Maria Thurston

    Buried in 1812 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 33.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. E. Thurston

    Corporal, London Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

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

Showing 3 of 17 records for Thurston 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand10 records

10 records of the Thurston name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Raymond Edward Thurston

    Died 1999, aged 71; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dorothy Thurston

    Died 1940, aged 56; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record V. Thurston

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 10 records for Thurston in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel 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); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands3 records

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

    Married in 1936 in Schoonhoven; "ziekenverpleegster".

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Midden-Holland (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Wilhelm Thurston

    Married in 1656 in Grave.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Thurston 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).

France2 records

2 records of the Thurston 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 Thelma Thurston

    Born 1918 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Domfront (Orne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Dylis Rosetta Florence Thurston

    Born 1916 in Broughton (Angleterre); died 2001 in Villiers-Adam (Val-d'Oise).

    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 Thurston.

When the index is not enough

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

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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