Explore the Family Name Thorner
The meaning of Thorner
1. German (Thörner): topographic name for someone who lived by a thorn bush, or a habitational name for someone from a place called Thorn (see Thorn 3 and 4). 2. German: occupational name for a watchman on a tower. 3. Swedish (also Thornér): ornamental name composed of the elements torn, törne ‘thorn bush’ + the suffix -er (from German) or -ér (a derivative of Latin -erius). This surname is rare in Sweden. 4. English (Dorset): habitational name from Thorner in Yorkshire, derived from Old English thorn ‘thorn tree’ + ofer ‘slope, hill, ridge’, or a topographic name from Middle English thorner ‘dweller at the thorn bush(es)’. Compare Thorne. Some characteristic forenames: German Hans, Fritzi, Ilse.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Thorner in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Thorner has seen a slight increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 48,963rd most popular surname, with 404 individuals carrying the name. By 2010, the rank had improved to 48,800 with a count of 432, an increase of approximately 7%. Despite this increase in count, the proportion of people with the surname Thorner per 100,000 remained steady at 0.15.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #48,963 | #48,800 | 0.33% |
| Count | 404 | 432 | 6.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Thorner
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Thorner, as per the Decennial U.S. Census, is predominantly White, with over 89% identifying as such in 2010, a slight decrease from 91% in 2000. Those who identified as having two or more races increased significantly, from 1.24% in 2000 to 2.78% in 2010. There was a small rise among those identifying as Black and Hispanic, from 5.20% to 5.79% and 1.49% to 1.85% respectively. However, there were no individuals with the surname Thorner who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.09% | 89.58% | -1.66% |
| Black | 5.2% | 5.79% | 11.35% |
| Two or More Races | 1.24% | 2.78% | 124.19% |
| Hispanic | 1.49% | 1.85% | 24.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |