Explore the Family Name Thorn
The meaning of Thorn
1. English and Danish: topographic name for someone who lived by a thorn bush or hedge (Old English, Old Norse thorn, Middle English thorn(e), torn(e)). The name is also found in Sweden. 2. English: habitational name from a place called with Old English, Old Norse thorn ‘thorn bush’ (see 1 above), for example Thorne in Kent, Somerset, and South Yorkshire. 3. North German and Danish: topographic name for someone who lived near a tower, from Middle Low German torn ‘tower’. 4. North German: nickname from Middle Low German torn(e), tarn ‘anger’. 5. German: habitational name from the city of Thorn (Toruń in Poland), which was named with Middle High German torn ‘tower’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Thorn in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Thorn showed a slight decrease in rank between 2000 and 2010, moving from 3347 to 3569, a change of -6.63%. However, the count or total number of people with this surname increased marginally, from 9776 to 9988 over the same period, representing a growth of 2.17%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly, from 3.62 to 3.39, marking a decline of -6.35%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,347 | #3,569 | -6.63% |
| Count | 9,776 | 9,988 | 2.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.62 | 3.39 | -6.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Thorn
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Thorn also shows some interesting shifts according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. There was an increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those identifying with two or more races, with changes of 63.48% and 55.28% respectively between 2000 and 2010. The proportion of individuals with the Thorn surname who identify as White decreased slightly by -2.54%, while those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 31.76%. The proportion of Black people with this surname also saw a minor increase of 2.30%. For those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, there was a slight decrease of -2.63%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.98% | 83.8% | -2.54% |
| Black | 9.57% | 9.79% | 2.3% |
| Hispanic | 1.7% | 2.24% | 31.76% |
| Two or More Races | 1.23% | 1.91% | 55.28% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.15% | 1.88% | 63.48% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.38% | 0.37% | -2.63% |
Thorn ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Thorn is British & Irish, which comprises 49.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.0%) and Eastern European (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 49.5% |
| French & German | 25.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.7% |
| Other | 20.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Thorn
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Thorn have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
What Thorn haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Thorn is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z198 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Champion, Cross, Harrison, Andrews, Reimer, West, Faber, Hall, Richards, Grey.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Thorn surname are: H1, H, T2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Thorn have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Thorn" Surname 48.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Thorn" Surname 27.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Thorn" Surname 28.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Thorn" Surname 18.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Thorn?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Thorn are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition