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Thurlow

♂ Boy

Pronounced THUR-loh /ˈθɜrloʊ/Medium

Meaning: Thurlow is an English place-and-surname name, most often explained from Thur (the god Thunor or Thor) plus Old English hlaw, 'mound' or 'hill' — a 'Thor's hill,' possibly an old meeting-mound. It reached American use as a transferred surname.Low

In 30 seconds: Thurlow is an English surname-turned-first-name meaning about 'Thor's mound' or 'assembly hill' (said THUR-loh). It stayed rare across the early twentieth century.

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Origin MediumEnglish, Old Norse

MeaningThurlow is an English place-and-surname name, most often explained from Thur (the god Thunor or Thor) plus Old English hlaw, 'mound' or 'hill' — a 'Thor's hill,' possibly an old meeting-mound. It reached American use as a transferred surname.

U.S. rank (1977)#6777 ↘ Falling

1977 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1915

Total births (all-time)≈ 422

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Thurlow comes from an English place name combining a Thor or Thunor element with hlaw, 'mound' or 'hill,' and became a family surname later lifted into first-name use. It appears in United States records from the early eighteen-eighties and peaks around 1915, in the surname-as-first-name vogue. It was always uncommon, given to only a couple dozen boys a year even then.

Last seen in records in the nineteen-seventies, Thurlow reads as a great-grandfather-era name and has not revived. Its brisk, slightly stern sound belongs with other '-low' surname names like Marlow, Harlow and Barlow, and it offers Thur as a ready-made short form.

Did you know? Thurlow's second part, the Old English hlaw, means a hill or burial mound and survives in many English place names, from Ludlow to Marlow.

Overall data confidence 55%

References - Thurlow — English place/surname; Thor/Thunor element + Old English hlaw 'mound'

Variations

ThurlowThorlow

Nicknames

ThurLowe

Famous Bearers

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If you like Thurlow…

Marlow— a like English '-low' place-surname name

Harlow— shares the '-low' hill element and sound

Barlow— another surname-turned-first-name of the era

Arrow— echoes that soft -ow sound

Woodrow— another English name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Thurlow mean?

It is an English surname and place name meaning roughly 'Thor's mound' or 'assembly hill.'

How do you pronounce Thurlow?

It's said THUR-loh /ˈθɜrloʊ/, 2 syllables.

Is Thurlow a boy or girl name?

Thurlow is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Thurlow?

It was always rare, a surname-style boys' name given to only a couple dozen boys a year in the early nineteen-hundreds.