The name ‘Thornton’ is of English and Scottish origin. It is derived from the habitational name from any of the numerous places throughout England and Scotland, so called from the Old English word ‘porn’ meaning thorn bush, and ‘tun’ meaning enclosure, settlement. In Ireland it has been translated in to the Gaelic form ‘Mac Sceachain’ meaning ‘son of Sceachan’, a personal name from a diminutive of ‘sceach’ meaning thorn bush. Compiled information from Historical and Private archive’s has confirmed that the surname ‘Thornton’ and or it’s variant’s, dates as far back as the 13th century were a ‘Roger de Thorntone’, from the city of Cambridgeshire, England, is recorded on the Hundred Rolls in 1273. The exact period of settlement in North America has not been definately determined but Information extracted from Public and Civil registry archive’s confirm that one of the first settlers was a certain ‘John Thornton’, aged 30, a pewterer by trade, from the city of London, England. He emigrated to North America in 1774, sa…
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