Thornton surname meaning

Thornton is an English locational surname from places whose name combines Old English thorn, “thorn bush” or “thorn hedge,” with tun, an enclosure or settlement. The original bearer was identified as someone from a settlement by thorn growth, not necessarily as a person who worked with the plant. Several English and Scottish places could produce the surname independently. Thorneton and Thorntoun are historical spelling neighbors, while Thorn may be related without being interchangeable. This catalog classifies Thornton as a place surname with high confidence.