How Many People Are Named Thornton?

Complete statistics for the name Thornton: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.

Thornton
Uncommon
Old English

Thornton means 'thorn town', a literal place name from Old English. Only around 1,155 people named Thornton live in the US today, making up just 1 in 285,780 Americans. The name peaked in popularity back in 1921 with 75 births.

~77,910
Living in US
1 in 4,254
Americans
1921
Peak Year

📖 Meaning & Origin

💬
Meaning
Thorn town
🌐
Origin
Old English
🌟
Lucky Day
Friday
💎
Lucky Stone
Amethyst
🔢
Numerology
Life Path 7
Personality Traits
Strong Dependable
7
Life Path Number

Life-path number 7 symbolizes introspection, spiritual growth, and a deep connection to the mysteries of life.

🌍 Worldwide Usage

1,155
Worldwide Bearers
#144,615
Global Rank
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea
2
🇹🇭 Thailand
2
🇯🇲 Jamaica
2
🇨🇳 China
2
🇶🇦 Qatar
1
🇮🇳 India
1
🇸🇪 Sweden
1
🇩🇪 Germany
1
🇹🇷 Turkey
1
🇿🇲 Zambia
1

⚥ Gender Distribution

♂ Male
1,155 (100%)
♀ Female
0 (0%)

📊 Births by Age Group

Avg Cohort Age: 84
239
Would be under 30 (8%)
415
Would be 30–60 (13%)
2,456
Would be over 60 (79%)

All 3,110 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).

📈 Popularity Over Time

Peak: 1921

Annual US births from SSA records  ·  Trend: Stable

🏆 Name Scorecard

Popularity
94
Classic Feel
98
Modern Appeal
2
International
5

Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency

📜 Thornton Through the Generations

Thornton has been a steady presence through the generations, with its current living count standing at 1,155 individuals. This name's demographic leans heavily towards the older generation, with 79% of Thornton's being over 60 years old. its stable trend, it's considered a very rare name, ranking at #144,615 globally with only 2,587 living bearers worldwide.

📍 State Distribution (Top 10)

Virginia 124
Texas 45
New York 27
Alabama 25
Illinois 20
Kentucky 20
Maryland 16
Ohio 11
Pennsylvania 11
California 10

⭐ Famous People Named Thornton

Thornton is a masculine given name borne by:Thornton Blackburn, American escaped slave and entrepreneur in Canada Thornton W. Burgess (1874–1965), American conservationist, author of children's stories and radio personality Thornton Chandler, American former National Football League player Thornton Chase (1847–1912), Union officer commanding United States Colored Troops during the American Civil War and first western convert to the Baháʼí Faith Thornton Leigh Hunt (1810–1873), English journalist, first editor of the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph Thornton A. Jenkins (1811–1893), United …

Full list on Wikipedia →

✨ Similar Names to Thornton

🌿 Related Names by Origin

Other names sharing Thornton's Old English roots

📄 About the Name Thornton

How Many People Have the Name Thornton?

Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 77,910 people in the United States currently share the name Thornton. That works out to roughly 1 in every 4,254 Americans, placing it in the Uncommon category.

Is Thornton a Common or Rare Name?

Thornton is classified as Uncommon. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.

What Does the Name Thornton Mean?

Thornton means "thorn town" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 7.

Gender Breakdown

Of all recorded bearers of Thornton in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.

When Was Thornton Most Popular?

The name Thornton reached peak popularity in 1921, with 75 babies registered that year. Current trend: Stable.

How Is This Data Calculated?

All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are named Thornton?

Approximately 77,910 people named Thornton live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 77,910. That works out to roughly 1 in 4,254 Americans.

Is Thornton a rare name?

Thornton is classified as Uncommon in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 4,254 Americans has this name.

What does the name Thornton mean?

Thornton means "thorn town" and comes from Old English origins.

Is Thornton more male or female?

Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Thornton are male and 0% are female.

When was Thornton most popular?

Thornton peaked in 1921 with 75 births that year. Current trend: Stable.

How accurate are these statistics?

All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.

Disclaimer: All results are statistical estimates based on aggregated SSA birth records and modeling. Not exact counts of individuals. Data source: SSA National Baby Names dataset.
Quick Stats
Living in US77,910
All-Time Births77,910
1 in X1 in 4,254
RarityUncommon
GenderMale
Avg Age84
Peak Year1921
World Rank#144,615
Male %100%
Female %0%

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Data Source

Powered by the SSA National Baby Names dataset, birth registrations from 1880 to present.

All counts are statistical estimates. See the methodology page.