Surname Hawthorn - Meaning and Origin

Hawthorn: What does the surname Hawthorn mean?

The last name Hawthorn has both English and Irish origins. Its English origin means “From the thorn tree farm”, derived from the Old English term “haga” which means “hedge” and “thorn” which is another name for a specific type of shrub. This type of shrub produces white or pink flowers that have a sweet and delicate scent. In Ireland, the name Hawthorn could originate from any of the seven distinct clans that bore the name. It could be derived from the O Heyghyrne clan in the province of Leinster which was seated at Rathfarnham, a town near Dublin.

This last name could also come from the MacThoireain clan which was seated at Ballyhean in the province of Connacht. Similar variations of the surname include Mac Torran, Mac Thoirdealbach, and Mac Thoruis. There is also a distinct Scottish version of the name, Hawthorne, that dates back to the 1500s registered in the Rolls of the Clan Macnachtan and Clan Mackay.

Today, the surname Hawthorn is commonly seen in Great Britain and in the United States, where it is especially popular throughout the southern states. Those bearing this name tend to be proud of their roots and to honor their familial name with pride.

Hawthorn: Where does the name Hawthorn come from?

The last name Hawthorn is quite an unusual surname, which is likely not very common today. It is an anglicised version of the Olde English name Hofferthorn and is thought to originate in the towns of Norfolk or Suffolk in England. According to ancestry.co.uk, current locations for holders of the Hawthorn name are primarily in the UK, especially in East Anglia and Yorkshire, which have historically been home to many people of English extraction. The Hawthorn name is also found in scattered population centres throughout Australia, New Zealand, and North America, which suggests that the family name has benefited from emigration of English people in the past few centuries.

In terms of modern family distributions across the English-speaking counties, the Hawthorn name is certainly less common than more traditional English last names such as Smith or Jones. For example, in England the latest release of the Name Frequency tables from The National Statistics Society show the Hawthorn name in only 15th place (out of 28,523 surnames), with a frequency of 0.465 people for every million. Likewise, in Scotland the Hawthorn name is featured at 302nd place (out of 5,827 surnames), with a frequency of 0.072 people per million. These figures suggest that the Hawthorn name is less common than many other English family names, although it may still have some heritage and relevance in many areas.

Variations of the surname Hawthorn

The surnames Hawthorn, Hawthorne, Hathorn, Hethorn, and Hawethorn all have the same origin.

Hawthorn is an Anglo-Saxon surname, originating from England. The surname refers to someone who lived near or on a hawthorn bush, which is a type of bush native to England. The spelling can vary depending on its location or the dialect it was used in.

Hawthorn and Hawthorne are the most common variant spellings of this surname. Hawthorne likely arose in the 17th century due to the romanticized spelling of the name, while the spelling of Hawthorn was more rooted in earlier times in the Midlands and Northern regions of England.

Hathorn is another spelling variant that could be found in records. This spelling was often used in north England and Scotland.

Hethorn and Hawethorn are two spellings that could occasionally be found in records. Hethorn is found in Northern England, while Hawethorn is found in East Anglia, which is an area near the East coast of England.

All of the spellings of Hawthorn have the same origin, and they all refer to someone who originated from somewhere near a hawthorn bush. Different areas of the UK might spell it differently, depending on their dialect or the location of origin.

Famous people with the name Hawthorn

• Adam Hawthorn: Actor and Producer
• Michael Hawthorne: Film Director
• Juliette Hawthorn: Singer and Actress
• Jean Hawthorn: Author and Educator
• John Hawthorn: Musician and Visual Effects Artist
• David Hawthorn: Comic Artist
• Edward Hawthorn: Politician and Cricket Administrator
• Paul Hawthorn: Musician and Producer
• Jack Hawthorn: Actor
• William Hawthorn: Painter and Educator

Other surnames

Hawthorne