Thornton is a surname found in Ireland and Britain.

Overview

Found in Britain as an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and Scottish surname derived from places so named in

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...

Merseyside Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan county, metropolitan and ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England, 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Merse ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

. Its basic form denotes a settlement ('tun') of some sort beside a thorn tree or hedge of thorn

In Ireland, it is an Anglicised form of a number of Gaelic-Irish surnames which have nothing to do with the British placenames. " horntonis a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsÓ Droighneáin Ó Droighneáin, Gaelic-Irish surname. Background Ó Droighneáin was a surname of at least two different septs, located in Counties Cork and Galway, but has been 'translated' as Thornton, an English surname. "horntonis a portmanteau English nam ...

, Mac Sceacháin, Ó Toráin. The connection is: draighean, blackthorn; sceach, whitethorn; tor, a bush. MacLysaght remarks that some Thorntons in

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

were 16 cent

planters Planters Nut & Chocolate Company is an American snack food company now owned by Hormel Foods. Planters is best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentil ...

Ó Droighneáin Ó Droighneáin, Gaelic-Irish surname. Background Ó Droighneáin was a surname of at least two different septs, located in Counties Cork and Galway, but has been 'translated' as Thornton, an English surname. "horntonis a portmanteau English nam ...

remains in use as an Irish-language surname.

Bearers of the surname

* Abraham Thornton *

Al Thornton Willie Alford Thornton (born December 7, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player for Club Atlético Aguada of the Liga Uruguaya de Basketball. He had formerly played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards and the Gold ...

, basketball player *

Alfred Thornton Alfred Horace Thornton (27 January 1853 – 31 March 1906) was an English amateur footballer who played for England in the first representative international match against Scotland in 1870. By profession, he was a banker. Family and education ...

(1853–1906), English footballer from the 1870s * Alice Thornton (1626–1707), British autobiographer *

Alvin Thornton Alvin Thornton is an American university administrator. He serves as Associate Provost and directs Howard University's Amgen Scholars Program and is coordinator of its Leadership Alliance Program. He has been a member of the Howard University Pol ...

Andre Thornton André Thornton (born August 13, 1949), nicknamed "Thunder", is an American former professional baseball player and business entrepreneur. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman and designated hitter from to , most prominently as ...

(born 1949), American baseball player *

Andrew Thornton Andrew Thornton is a retired National Hunt jockey. Early life He was born on 28 October 1972 in Cleveland and schooled at Barnard Castle School in County Durham. He is not related to another English jockey, Robert Thornton. Riding career He ro ...

, pro jockey * Andrew C. Thornton II * Anne Jane Thornton, cabin boy and ship's cook * Anne Thornton (born 1981), American pastry chef * Archibald Thornton *

A. G. Thornton A. G. (Archibald George) Thornton (1886–1969) was a British novelist, short story writer and journalist. He authored three popular novels which were noted for their realism and humour. Life and works Thornton was born in Secunderabad, India, ...

novelist and journalist *

Sadik Hakim Sadik Hakim (born Forrest Argonne Thornton; July 15, 1919 – June 20, 1983) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Forrest Argonne Thornton was born on July 15, 1919 in Duluth, Minnesota. The name Argonne came from the World War ...

(born Argonne Thornton, 1919–1983) American jazz pianist and composer *

Barry Thornton Air Marshal Sir Barry Michael Thornton, is a British retired officer who was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force. Personal life Thornton was educated at Baines Grammar School and the University of Nottingham. He is married to Delia Tho ...

, RAF officer * Barry Thornton (cricketer) (born 1941), Australian cricketer *

Big Mama Thornton Willie Mae Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984), better known as Big Mama Thornton, was an American singer and songwriter of the blues and R&B genres. She was the first to record Leiber and Stoller's " Hound Dog", in 1952, which becam ...

, musician *

Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker and musician. He had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller ''One False Move'', and received international attention after writing, directing, a ...

(born 1955), American actor *

Bonnell Thornton Bonnell Thornton (1725–1768) was an English poet, essayist, and critic. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1747. In 1752 Thornton founded the ''Drury Lane Journal'', a satirical periodi ...

, parodist *

Bret Thornton Bret Thornton (born 15 November 1983) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club and Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). Early life and junior career Thornto ...

Bruce Thornton Bruce S. Thornton (born August 2, 1953) is an American classicist at California State University, Fresno, and research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. Biography Thornton received a Bachelor of Arts in Latin from the Univers ...

, classicist **

Bruce Thornton (cornerback) Bruce Thornton Sr. (born January 31, 1980) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football at the University of Georgia. Early years Thornt ...

Cecilia Dart-Thornton Cecilia Dart-Thornton is an Australian author of fantasy novels, notably the '' Bitterbynde'' Trilogy. Dart-Thornton was educated at Monash University where she completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in sociology. Published works ''The Bitte ...

* Charley Thornton *

David Thornton (musician) David Thornton (born 1978) is a British solo euphonium player for the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band. Biography Thornton began learning the euphonium at the age of eight and was soon after accepted as the first ever euphonium student at Ch ...

, British euphonium player *

David Thornton (actor) David Farrington Thornton (born June 12, 1953) is an American actor. He has appeared in ''John Q'', ''Home Alone 3'' as Earl Unger, '' Law & Order'', ''The Notebook'', and '' The Other Woman'', among other roles. He is the husband of singer songw ...

, actor and husband to

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...

David Thornton (American football) David Dontay Thornton (born November 1, 1978) is a former outside linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. In 2012 Thornton joined the Colts as the director of player engagement. College career ...

, linebacker for the

Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...

*De'mario Monte Thornton, real name of

Raz-B De'Mario Monte Thornton (born June 13, 1985), known as Raz-B, is an American singer and actor, who was a founding member of R&B boy band B2K. Career Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Raz B was a creator and member of the group B2K as a teen. During his ...

, member of boy band

B2K B2K (Boys of the New Millennium) was an American boy band that was active from 1998 to 2004, and again from 2018 to 2019. In 1998, the group was formed by American dance choreographer Dave Scott and Interscope A&R Keshia Gamble. The members ...

* Edward Thornton (disambiguation) * Eleanor Velasco Thornton, actress and model *

Elizabeth Thornton Mary Forrest George, née Baxter (24 January 1940 – 12 July 2010), well known as Elizabeth Thornton (her mother's name) is a British-Canadian writer of 31 historical romance novels from 1986 to 2010. Biography Born Mary Forrest Baxter on 24 J ...

, writer *

Flora L. Thornton Flora Laney Thornton (November 1, 1913 – May 7, 2010) was an American actress and philanthropist. Biography Early life Flora Laney was born on November 1, 1913, in Independence, Kansas. She was the daughter of Charles W. and Effie M. (Smith) L ...

Frank Thornton Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 192116 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was known for playing Captain Peacock in ''Are You Being Served?'' and its sequel ''Grace & Favour'' (''Are You Being Served? ...

(1921–2013), English actor * George Thornton (disambiguation) *

Glenys Thornton, Baroness Thornton Dorothea Glenys Thornton, Baroness Thornton (born 16 October 1952), known as Glenys Thornton, is a Labour and Co-operative politician serving as a Member of the House of Lords since 1998. She was a Government Whip in 2008 to 2010 and a Parliament ...

Grant Thornton Grant Thornton is the world's seventh-largest by revenue and sixth-largest by number of employees professional services network of independent accounting and consulting member firms which provide assurance, tax and advisory services to private ...

* Henry Thornton (disambiguation) ** Henry Thornton (abolitionist), campaigner against the

slave trade Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

Henry Thornton (railroader) Sir Henry Worth Thornton, KBE (November 6, 1871 – March 14, 1933) was a businessman. Thornton served as general superintendent of the Long Island Rail Road from 1911 to 1914, general manager of the Great Eastern Railway in England from 1914 ...

, president of

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...

Hugh Thornton (American football) Hugh Thornton (born June 28, 1991) is a professional gridiron football offensive tackle for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Illinois, and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in th ...

(born 1991), American football player *

James Thornton (disambiguation) James Thornton may refer to: Entertainment * James Thornton (songwriter) (1861–1938), American songwriter and vaudeville performer * Jim Thornton (born 1965), American TV and radio announcer * James Thornton (actor) (born 1975), English actor P ...

James Thornton (naval officer) James Shepard Thornton (25 February 1826 – 14 May 1875) was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. Biography Born at Merrimack, New Hampshire, Thornton was appointed midshipman on 15 January 1841 and served in ...

(1826–1875) **

James Worth Thornton James Worth Thornton (September 19, 1906 – February 6, 1983, Virginia) was an American businessman and scion of the politically and socially connected Thorntons of Indiana. Thornton was the son of Sir Henry Worth Thornton and Virginia Blair, da ...

, businessman and son of Sir

Henry Worth Thornton Sir Henry Worth Thornton, KBE (November 6, 1871 – March 14, 1933) was a businessman. Thornton served as general superintendent of the Long Island Rail Road from 1911 to 1914, general manager of the Great Eastern Railway in England from 1914 to ...

Jim Thornton Jim Thornton is an American radio and television announcer and voice actor. He is known for his voiceover work in video games, movies and television shows. Since 2011, he is best known for being the announcer of '' Wheel of Fortune'' following the ...

Joe Thornton Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers of the ...

, NHL hockey player * John Thornton (disambiguation) **

John L. Thornton John Lawson Thornton (born January 2, 1954) is an American businessman and professor and director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He is also executive chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation and non-executive chai ...

** John R. Thornton ** John Wingate Thornton, lawyer, historian, author **

John Thornton (philanthropist) John Thornton (1720–1790) was a British merchant and Christian philanthropist who became immensely wealthy through investment in the North Sea Russia trade, and as a result of his Christian faith, gave much of his money away to a huge numbe ...

Kalen Thornton Kalen Bruce Thornton (born May 12, 1982, in Dallas, Texas) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Texas. Early years Thornton attended St ...

Kate Thornton Kate Thornton (born 7 February 1973) is an English journalist and broadcaster, best known as the first presenter of ''The X Factor'' (2004–2006) and for presenting daytime shows including '' Loose Women'' (2009–2011) and '' This Morning'' (2 ...

, English television presenter * Kathryn Thornton, astronaut * Keith Thornton, hip hop artist

Kool Keith Keith Matthew Thornton (born October 7, 1963), better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper and record producer from The Bronx, New York City, known for his surreal, abstract and often profane or incomprehensible lyrics. Kool ...

Kelly Thornton Kelly Thornton (born 13 April 1997) is an Irish actress who began her career as a child actress. She is best known for her roles as Corrina Mallon in the 2015 RTÉ drama '' Clean Break'' and Emma in the film '' Life's a Breeze'' (2013), which ...

, Irish actress *

, Canadian theatre director and dramaturge *

Kevin Thornton (chef) Kevin Thornton is an Irish celebrity chef, radio and television personality and author, known for featuring on television series such as '' Guerrilla Gourmet'' and ''Heat'' and characterised by a supposed dislike of chips and confirmed dislike of ...

, Irish Michelin starred chef * Kevin Thornton (footballer), Irish footballer *

Khyri Thornton Khyri Jerome Thornton (born November 21, 1989) is an American football defensive tackle for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Southern Miss, and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in th ...

(born 1989), American football player *

Kirk Thornton Kirk Thornton is an American voice actor, director and script writer working mainly with English-language versions of Japanese anime shows. Career His major roles include Brandon Heat in ''Gungrave'', Hotohori in ''Fushigi Yūgi'', Klein in ' ...

Kristin Thornton Kristin Thornton (born 5 March 1988) is an Australian rules footballer. He was recruited as the number 54 draft pick in the 2005 AFL draft from Peel Thunder. He made his debut for the Sydney Swans in round 8 against the Carlton Blues kicking o ...

* Lawrence Thornton * Leslie Thornton, American filmmaker and artist * Leslie Thornton (sculptor) (1925–2016), English sculptor *

Lou Thornton Louis Thornton (born April 26, 1963) is a former Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divi ...

, former major league baseball player * Louise Thornton *

Malcolm Thornton Sir George Malcolm Thornton (born 3 April 1939) is a British Conservative politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Liverpool Garston from 1979 to 1983, and for Crosby from 1983 to 1997. Education He was educated at Wallasey G ...

* Marcia Thornton Jones, best-selling children's author * Marcus Thornton (disambiguation) *

Mark Thornton Mark Thornton (born June 7, 1960) is an American economist of the Austrian School. DiLorenzo, Thomas (2011-02-11My Associations with Liars, Bigots, and Murderers ''LewRockwell.com'' He has written on the topic of prohibition of drugs, the econo ...

* Matt Thornton (disambiguation) *

Matthew Thornton Matthew Thornton (March 3, 1714 – June 24, 1803) was an Irish-born Founding Father of the United States who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Hampshire. Background and early life Thornton was ...

, first president of New Hampshire House of Representatives *

Melanie Thornton Melanie Janene Thornton (May 13, 1967 – November 24, 2001) was an German-American pop and dance music singer. She was the lead singer of the Eurodance group La Bouche from 1994 to 2000, alongside American rapper Lane McCray. Their two most su ...

, musician *

Melody Thornton Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer and television personality. After graduating high school, Thornton became one the main vocalists of the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls and released the albums '' PCD'' (2005) a ...

Merle Thornton Merle Thornton (born 1930) is an Australian feminist activist, author and academic. She is best known for her 1965 action at the Regatta Hotel where she and Rosalie Bogner chained themselves to a bar rail to protest the exclusion of serving wo ...

, Australian feminist activist * Michael Thornton (disambiguation) **

Michael B. Thornton Michael Bert Thornton (born February 9, 1954) is an American lawyer who serves as a Federal tribunals in the United States#Article I tribunals, senior judge of the United States Tax Court. Early life and education Thornton was born on Februa ...

* Omar Thornton, murderer of 8 and suicide, see

Hartford Distributors shooting The Hartford Distributors shooting was a mass shooting that occurred on August 3, 2010, in Manchester, Connecticut, United States. The location of the crime was a warehouse owned by Hartford Distributors, a beer distribution company. The gunman, ...

* Patricia H. Thornton (born 1960s), American organizational theorist *

Paul Thornton The Godz were a New York City-based avant-noise psychedelic music, psychedelic band that originally existed from 1966 to 1973. History The Godz musicians were guitarist Jim McCarthy, bassist Larry Kessler, autoharpist Jay Dillon, and drumme ...

, Live Events Producer *

Randy Thornton Randall Thornton (born December 23, 1964) is an American former football player and professional wrestler. He is also known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Swoll. Football career Thornton attended the Universit ...

Richard Thornton Richard Thornton (20 September 1776 – 20 June 1865) was an English millionaire. He died in Merton, Surrey and is buried at West Norwood Cemetery in London. On his death, Richard Thornton left an estate of £2,800,000, which is the largest fort ...

, millionaire 'Duke of Danzig' * Robert Thornton (disambiguation) ** Robert Thornton, jockey **

Robert L. Thornton Robert Lee Thornton Sr. (often R. L. Thornton; August 10, 1880 – February 15, 1964) was an American banker, civic leader, and four-term Mayor of Dallas, Texas. A child of tenant farmers, Thornton's early years were divided between school and f ...

Robert Lyster Thornton Robert Lyster Thornton (29 November 1908 – 28 September 1985) was a British-Canadian-American physicist who worked on the cyclotrons at Ernest Lawrence's Radiation Laboratory in the 1930s. During World War II he assisted with the development of ...

** Robert Stirton Thornton *

Roger Thornton Roger Thornton (died 1430), the Dick Whittington of Newcastle, seems to have been a country boy who sought his fortune in town. He lived to become 'the richest merchant that ever was dwelling in Newcastell', and three times mayor of that town. ...

Samantha Thornton Samantha Thornton (born 20 April 1966) is a former Australian women's basketball player.FIBA ArchivePlayer Search: Samantha Thornton Retrieved 2012-09-13. Biography Thornton was a member of the national team roster for several years, from 1 ...

(born 1966), Australian basketball player * Samuel Thornton (disambiguation) * Sara Thornton (disambiguation) * Sarah L. Thornton (born 1965), cultural sociologist * Scott Thornton, ice hockey player *

Sean Thornton Sean Thornton (born 18 May 1983) is a former professional footballer. He made 11 appearances in the Premier League for Sunderland in the 2002–03 season and has made over 200 appearances in the Football League, mostly for Sunderland, Doncast ...

Shawn Thornton Shawn Thornton (born July 23, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of the National Hockey League (NHL). An enforcer throughout his career, he won two Stanley Cups with the Anaheim Ducks (2007) and the Boston Bruins (2011). ...

, ice hockey player *

Sigrid Thornton Sigrid Madeline Thornton (born 12 February 1959) is an Australian film and television actress. Her television work includes ''Prisoner'' (1979–80), ''All the Rivers Run'' (1983), ''SeaChange'' (1998–2019) and ''Wentworth'' (2016–2018). S ...

, Australian actress *

Simon Thornton Simon Thornton (born 18 March 1977) is an Irish professional golfer. He won the 2013 Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open on the European Tour. Career Thornton was a late starter to golf, only taking up the sport in his late teens and turning profession ...

*Terrence Thornton (born 1977), birth name of American rapper and record executive

Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...

Tex Thornton Charles Bates "Tex" Thornton (July 22, 1913 – November 24, 1981) was an American business executive who was the founder of Litton Industries. Early life Charles Bates Thornton was born on July 22, 1913 in Goree, Texas. Career He served in the ...

Tiffany Thornton Tiffany Dawn Thornton (born February 14, 1986) is an American former actress, radio personality and singer best known for her co-starring role as Tawni Hart on the Disney Channel Original Series, ''Sonny with a Chance'' and the spinoff, ''So Ran ...

, American actress *

Tim Thornton (bishop) Timothy Martin Thornton (born 14 April 1957) is a retired British Anglican bishop. His final post was as Bishop at Lambeth, Bishop to the Forces, and Bishop for the Falkland Islands (2017–2021).

(born 1957), Bishop of Truro, and of Sherborne * Tim Thornton (double bassist) (born 1988), British jazz double bassist *

Tim Thornton (musician, born 1973) Tim Thornton (born 1973) is an English musician, composer and novelist. He is best known as the drummer and guitarist for the English electronica group Fink. Early life He was born in Darlington. After a boarding-school education, he completed ...

, English drummer, guitarist and novelist * Tim Thornton (philosopher) (born 1966), British philosopher *

Trent Thornton Trent Edward Thornton (born September 30, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays. Amateur career Thornton graduated fr ...

, American baseball player * Tyquan Thornton *

Walter Thornton Walter Miller Thornton (February 18, 1875 – July 14, 1960) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1895 through 1898 for the Chicago Colts / Orphans. A skilled athlete who excelled in baseball, Thornton pitched Snohomish ...

* Walter Thornton (cricketer), English cricketer *

Warwick Thornton Warwick Thornton (born 1970) is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film ''Samson and Delilah'' won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and the award for Best Film at the Asia Pacific Sc ...

, Australian cinematographer and director *

William Thornton William Thornton (May 20, 1759 – March 28, 1828) was a British-American physician, inventor, painter and architect who designed the United States Capitol. He also served as the first Architect of the Capitol and first Superintendent of the Uni ...

, architect **

William E. Thornton William Edgar Thornton (April 14, 1929 – January 11, 2021) was an American NASA astronaut. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from University of North Carolina and a doctorate in medicine, also from UNC. He flew on ''Challeng ...

, astronaut **

William Patton Thornton Dr. William Patton Thornton (February 6, 1817 – October 10, 1883) was a physician, educator, author, and politician. Education and career Thorton graduated from Kemper's Medical College in St. Louis and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelp ...

, doctor ** William Wheeler Thornton, Judge, Deputy Attorney General of Indiana, author, and State Supreme Court Librarian *

William Thomas Thornton William Thomas Thornton, CB (1813–1880) was a nineteenth-century economist, civil servant and author. Life William Thomas Thornton was born at Burnham, Buckinghamshire on 14 February 1813, the son of the merchant Thomas Thornton and Sophie ...

, British economist, author, civil servant **

Willie Thornton William Thornton MM (3 March 1920 – 26 August 1991) was a Scottish footballer and manager. Thornton's entire senior playing career was spent with Rangers, and Thornton is considered to be one of the greatest players in the club's history. ...

Zach Thornton Zach Thornton (born October 10, 1973) is an American former goalkeeper who spent 16 seasons in Major League Soccer with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (1996–97), Chicago Fire (1998–2006), Colorado Rapids (2007), New York Red Bulls (2008 ...

Zack Thornton Zachary James Thornton (born May 19, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He is currently the pitching coach for the UC Davis Aggies. Pitching for Oak Park High School, Thornton was All-State in California. At Ventura C ...

(born 1988), American baseball player

Fictional characters

*Sean Thornton, a character portrayed by

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

in ''

The Quiet Man ''The Quiet Man'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Ford. It stars John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen. The screenplay by Frank S. Nugent was based on a 1933 '' Saturday ...

First name

Thornton Wilder Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes — for the novel ''The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and ''The Skin of Our Teeth'' — a ...

, American playwright {{DEFAULTSORT:Thornton English-language surnames Surnames of Anglo-Saxon origin English toponymic surnames