History of Thurlow

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From "A Dictionary of English Surnames", Revised Edition, Reaney & Wilson, Oxford University Press, 1997:

Thurlow, Thurloe: John de Thrillowe 1278 RH (C), 1327 SRSf; Antony Thurlowe SRSf. From Thurlow (Suffolk), Thrillauue c1095

[RH (C) - Rotuli Hundredorum (Cambridgeshire); SRSf - Sudsidy Rolls: Suffolk (E. Powell, The Rising in East Anglia in 1381, Cambridge 1896; A Suffolk Hundred in 1283, Cambridge 1896; Suffolk Green Books 9, 10, 12, 1906-10)]

From "A Dictionary of Surnames", Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges, Oxford University Press, 1989

Thurlow: English habitation name from a place in SFK, recorded in Domesday Book as Tritlawa and Tridlauua, and apparently named from the OE elements 'þrÿð' troop, assembly 'hläw' hill. Var. Thurloe

The villages of Great Thurlow and its neighbour Little Thurlow are located in the English county of Suffolk near its border with Essex.  Great Thurlow is about 1.5 km (2 miles) ENE of the city of Haverhill.

Map of Great Thurlow, Suffolk

The First THURLOW a PECHE?

" Many, if not all, of those with the surname "Thurlow" can trace their ancestry back to this village. SIMON PECHE became recognized as Simon of Thurlow. The name stuck. And thus, all his descendants carried Thurlow as their official surname, although all of them are Peche descendants. ", John Harding Peach, The Electronic Peach Tree Issue #19 Peach Genealogy Newsletter, Issue 19 ***

The earliest line of THURLOWs in the THURLOW One Name Study goes back to 1438 A. D. with the death of William THURLOW at Burnham Overy, Norfolk, England.  This family was known to have owned estates in the Burnham Overy area.  Their line includes that of the Baron Edward Thurlow, 1st Baron of Thurlow and Ashfield, and Lord Chancellor of Great Britain (see biographies). 

The first Grant of Arms to a THURLOW was to John THURLOW, Lord of the Manor at Burnham Overy:

ref: Extract from Blomefield's History of Norfolk, p. 25, Vol. VIII

Arms: AZ, a long cross, or, in chief two estoiles of eight points each of the last
Crest: An anchor erect gules, the cable or

on 19 Nov 1664, Sir Edward Bysshe granted a patent to John Thurlow of Overy, a great traveler many years in several parts of Europe, America, Africa, etc. for these "arms": - Azure, a Jacob's staff between 3 stars - or; crest, an anchor crest, the cable "or"

ref: Grantees of Arms Named in Docquets & Patents to end of C17 in Manuscripts:
THURLOW, John, Lord of the Manor of Burnham Overy, Norfolk, 19 Nov 1664, 16 Ch II, Harl. MS 1105 fo 18 15 6, Bysshe's Grants Fo 8, Ha (?) Coll, Gril 302, Add MS. 14, 295, fo 1 B.

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For questions or comments on the THURLOW One Name Study or its associated web site please contact David Weston via email or through the THURLOW-L Mailing List.