Surname Thornal - Meaning and Origin
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Thornal: What does the surname Thornal mean?
The surname Thornal is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is considered a topographic name, signifying it describes a person's locality or residence in ancient times. This surname comes from an Old English term "þorn halh," which translates to "nook or hollow with thorn trees”. Essentially, the surname Thornal suggests that the early bearers of this name presumably resided or worked around a location characterized by a hollow or recess populated by thorn trees. Like many other surnames, over centuries and generations, the spelling and pronunciation might have changed leading to variations such as Thornhal, Thornehalle, Thornhall among others. It's noteworthy that surnames are a relatively recent concept; in medieval England, people were only known by a single name. The advent of surnames made it easier to distinguish between individuals with common names. Hence identifying someone with the name Thornal, would imply their origins from an area filled with thorn trees.
Order DNA origin analysisThornal: Where does the name Thornal come from?
The last name Thornal is most common in the United States today. According to the US Census Bureau, the Thornal surname is one of the most common last names for Americans with about twenty-one thousand people with this last name living in the US today. The states that most Thornals live in are Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana.
Other countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada also have populations of people with the last name Thornal, though the numbers are much lower. In the US, most of the people with this last name are of African-American descent, particularly in the Southern states.
As a surname, Thornal is relatively recent and is derived from a place-name corresponding to the areas around specific hills. It is believed to be of French origin and has appeared in records from the early 17th century.
Although the last name Thornal is most common in the United States, there are also some who trace their origins back to the British Isles. These families are believed to be descended from the Thurnall family line that dates back to the 1200s.
Overall, the last name Thornal is found in several different countries today, although most of the people with this last name are found in the United States.
Variations of the surname Thornal
The surname Thornal is a variant of the surname Thornell, though the spellings tend to vary by location and oral tradition. In some places, the “th” sound is often dropped in favor of a “t” sound. Thus, the surname might also be spelled as Tarnal, Tarnall, or Tharnall. The surname might even be spelled without the “th” sound, becoming Arnel, Arnall, or even Oarnal.
In addition to the above spellings, there are also variants of the name, including Tarnell, Turnall, Thurnall, and Tharneal. These variations may appear in records with or without an “h” on the end of the surname.
Similarly, variants of the name may exist that have a double “l” at the end, such as Thornall, Turnall, and Thurnall. In some cases, the surname might also be spelled with an “e” instead of an “a,” becoming Thornell, Ternell, or Thernell.
Lastly, there are a few surnames that are derived from Thornal, such as Thornley, Thornbury, Thornhaugh, and Thornwald. These surnames generally have a “th” at the beginning, though the same could be said of any of the above variations.
Famous people with the name Thornal
- Thora Thornely: British actress
- David Thornal: Professional golfer
- Lawrence L Thorne: United States Army Colonel and Veteran
- Joanna Thornal: Professional Basketball Player
- Jolk Thornal: South African botanist and plant collector
- Dersley Thornal: Saxophonist and composer
- Lina Thornal: British illustrator
- Jared Thornal: American set designer
- Lloyd Thornal: Engineer and President and spokesperson for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- John G. Thornal: President and Chief Executive Officer of Thorne Enterprises, Corporation