THROWER
Thrower is an English surname of occupational origin. The name derives from the Middle English word throwere, meaning “one who throws.” It is believed to have begun as a nickname for a person renowned for skillful throwing of objects such as javelins or balls, and was subsequently adopted as a hereditary family name.
In another closely related etymology the surname is connected to the Middle English term throwe, meaning “to twist, to turn or to spin.” Historically, this described a thread‑thrower – a person who made silk thread from raw silk by twisting the fibre. The old English verb thrawan (pre‑7th century) also gave rise to this sense of twisting. By the 13th century the word acquired modern meanings such as turning wood or throwing clay in pottery; hence the surname Thrower could also have been used for a potter or a wood‑turner.
Evidence of the surname dates back to the late 13th century when Simon le Throwere is recorded in the Ancient Deeds of Norfolk, dated 1293, during the reign of King Edward I. Subsequent parish registers provide further instances, including the christening of Edward Thrower, son of Robert, on 10 November 1588 at St. Peter’s, Cornhill, London, and the marriage of Jane Thrower to John Blowes on 2 May 1681 at St. James’, Dukes’ Place, London.
Geographically, the name has been most frequently associated with southern England, but it is also found in Yorkshire, Cornwall and Lancashire. In Scotland it is relatively common, notably in the west and midlands. From the 17th century onwards, the surname spread to the United States, where it is now the most prevalent form of the name. Census records show concentrations in the southern states, particularly Georgia, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as in California, New York, Iowa, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The name is recorded within both the African‑American and white communities.
Prominent bearers of the name include the physicists William Worthington Thrower (1901–1989) and David Thomas Thrower (1917–2004), and the military officer Major Erby Clair Thrower (1905–1987). Individuals with the surname have also made notable contributions in entrepreneurship, engineering, medicine, farming, manufacturing and the armed forces.
The surname Thrower has a number of variants and alternative spellings, such as Thoyer, Thoer, Thoher, Thour, Thuer, Thye, Thohyer, Thower, Thore, Thor and Thour, as well as Thowar, Thowarre, Thowarr, Thowarres, Thowars and Thowarreys. Similar surnames arising from the same Germanic root include Thorwe, Torwe, Toroer, Trower, Trowsers, Trowser, Trowerks, Thoeres, Thorsay, Thorsea, Thorsa, Thorsy, Thorsyar, Thorsayre and Thorsaye. These names share a common linguistic heritage that traces back to the Old Germanic word threwer, signifying an individual responsible for manufacturing throwing weapons such as arrows, spears or crossbow bolts.
Typical given names associated with the Thrower surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Alma
- Barbara
- Claire
- Clare
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Janet
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Thrower in...
Braille
⠞⠓⠗⠕⠺⠑⠗
Morse
-.....-.---.--..-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 2,365 people named Thrower in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,662nd most common surname in Britain. Around 36 in a million people in Britain are named Thrower.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Thrower
- Percy Thrower - Gardener, horticulturist, broadcaster and writer (1913 to 1988)
- Debbie Thrower - Broadcast journalist
- Stephen Thrower - Musician and author
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.