Surname Thornberry - Meaning and Origin

Thornberry: What does the surname Thornberry mean?

The surname Thornberry originates from England. It’s derived from a combination of two Old English elements: "thorn", meaning a thorny bush, and "berie", meaning a berry. The literal translation is "berry of the thorn bush". This name likely served as a topographic surname for someone who lived by a thorny bush or bushes. It can also be a habitational name indicating someone from a place named Thornberry. The use of surnames was a practice that developed in the Middle Ages to assist in distinguishing people, often based on their occupation, location, or descriptive physical traits.

Thornberry: Where does the name Thornberry come from?

The last name Thornberry is most commonly found in areas of the United States. There is an especially high concentration of Thornberrys in the southern states from Delaware down through Florida and through Texas. In addition, you will also find the surname in many other states, including New York, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. As for other countries, there are instances in Canada, the UK, and Australia, but to a much lesser degree. Some of the more notable people who have this last name include Nigel Thornberry, the cartoon character from 'The Wild Thornberrys', actor Scott Wilson, and musician Tom Thorne who was a founding member of the band Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio. Furthermore, the surname is well known for being part of the famous Dove family from Louisiana, a family of African-American descent that is famous for multiple generations of people serving in the United States military.

Variations of the surname Thornberry

The surname Thornberry is derived from the Middle English and Old English words 'thorn' meaning a small prickly shrub and 'berry' meaning berry, hence the name Thornberry means a berry from a small prickly shrub.

Variants of the name Thornberry include Thorneberry, Thornberrye, Thornebery, Thorneberye, Thornbere, Thornbereye, Thornburry, Thornburrye, Thornburie, Thornburieye, Thorneburry, Thorneburrye, Thornebere, Thornebereye, Thorneburie, Thorneburieye, Turneburye, Turnebury and Turneberry.

Spellings of the name Thornberry include Thornberrey, Thorneberey and Turneberey.

Surnames of the same origin as Thornberry include Turnerberry, Thurnerberry, Tournberry, Thorngrove and Thorncroft.

Famous people with the name Thornberry

• Carter Thornberry: Carter is an American musician, singer-songwriter and producer. He has written songs for artists such as John Legend and Selena Gomez, and has performed at places such as the Grand Ole Opry.
• Tammy Wynette: Tammy was a country music singer, best known for her hit song Stand by Your Man. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998.
• Jack Thornberry: Jack is an actor, best known for his role as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films and for his roles in many British television shows including Nine Lives, Gideon's Daughter, and Lewis.
• Electra Thornberry: Electra is a fictional character from the popular Nickelodeon show The Wild Thornberrys. She is resourceful and adventurous, and she has the ability to talk to animals.
• Brooke Shields: Brooke is an American actress, model, and author. She has appeared in films such as The Blue Lagoon, Endless Love, and The Muppets Take Manhattan.
• Grandpa Thornberry: Grandpa Thornberry is a character in The Wild Thornberrys. He is the father of Nigel and Eliza's grandfather. He is a former army general and loves nature and photography.
• Mary Lambert: Mary Lambert is an American singer-songwriter best known for her chorus on the hit single 'Same Love', which won a Grammy award in 2013.
• Peter Thornberry: Peter is an English footballer who plays for Ipswich Town.
• Malcolm Thornberry: Malcolm is a character in The Wild Thornberrys. He is Eliza and Donnie's father and is an explorer and wildlife documentary filmmaker.
• Emma Thomson: Emma is an English actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She is best known for her roles in Love Actually, Sense and Sensibility, and Harry Potter.

Other surnames

Thornber