THURGOOD
Thurgood is a surname of English origin, first recorded in the medieval period and now predominantly found within the United Kingdom and the United States.
Its etymology traces back to a combination of Old Norse and Old English elements. The name descends from the personal name Thor, the Norse god of thunder, linked with the Old English word god meaning “good”. The literal sense conveyed by the surname is therefore “good Thor” or “good god”, and it is thought that early bearers were considered to possess qualities associated with the deity.
Historical documentation shows the presence of the name in a variety of medieval records. The earliest surviving instance is that of Adam Turgod in the Charter Rolls of Dorset dated 1207 during the reign of King John. Other early entries include Turgoti recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1183, Thurgot in the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1219, and Thurgod in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. Subsequent documented spellings such as Thurgod, Thurgood and Thurgate appear in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire (1275) and Yorkshire (1297). These records illustrate the gradual evolution of the name’s spelling over time.
In the Middle Ages it was common for individuals to adopt nicknames derived from deities, a practice that encouraged the use of names such as Thurgood among people deemed to embody courage or strength. As patronymic surnames became fixed in the 14th and 15th centuries, Thurgood transitioned from a descriptive nickname to a hereditary family name.
In contemporary times the surname is most frequently encountered in the United States, especially in the south‑eastern region. According to the 2010 United States Census, 7,222 individuals bore the name, with 1,326 residing in Maryland, 1,255 in Virginia, 715 in North Carolina, 676 in West Virginia, and a concentration of 553 in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
The prominence of the surname in the United States is largely attributed to the legacy of Thurgood Marshall, the landmark figure who served as the first African‑American Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1967 to 1976. His influential career has contributed to the name’s association with civil justice and legal excellence.
Several orthographic variants have been recorded, including Thorgeood, Thurgoood, Thurgude, Thirgood, and Thurgord. Many of these reflect early attempts to transcribe the original Norse phonetics into English spelling conventions.
Today, the surname remains relatively uncommon worldwide but persists across several countries, primarily the United States, England, Canada, Australia, and Scandinavian nations such as Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Its continued usage reflects the enduring legacy of its Norse heritage and the historical prominence of bearers such as Justice Marshall.
Typical given names associated with the Thurgood surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- Daniel
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Anne
- Barbara
- Carol
- Emma
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Joanne
- Julie
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Rebecca
- Susan
- Victoria
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 Thurgood in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 1,697 people named Thurgood in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,828th most common surname in Britain. Around 26 in a million people in Britain are named Thurgood.
Surname type: Nickname
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Thurgood
- Neil Thurgood - Cricketer
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.