Surname Throwen - Meaning and Origin

Throwen: What does the surname Throwen mean?

The last name Throwen is an English habitational surname, derived from the Old English words “thwa,” meaning “open” or “cleared,” and “hām,” meaning “homestead.” Therefore, the Throwen surname may have once described someone who “from the open or cleared homestead”—a holder of a fairly large piece of land.

Throwen is mainly found in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Hereford, which are located in central and southeastern England. Interestingly, this surname was notably held by prominent individuals in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as John Throwen (1768–1841), a land surveyor and Deputy Surveyor General of Ireland, and Sir John Throwen (1786–1878), Privy Counsellor to both George IV and William IV.

The etymology of the Throwen surname, as well as its geographical distribution and its occurrences among prominent individuals, indicate that this surname likely originated in Medieval England, when the population was growing and landholders of the Middle Ages needed to identify themselves. Over time, Throwen became a distinguishing marker of one’s identity and ancestry, indicating a certain wealth and prestige.

Throwen: Where does the name Throwen come from?

The Throwen surname is quite an uncommon one today. It is primarily associated with the United States, Great Britain, and Ireland. According to the 2019 United States Census, only 36 people reported Throwen as their last name, making it a very rare and unusual name.

In the United States, the primary locations for Throwen families are Ohio, Illinois, Florida, and Mississippi. In the United Kingdom, the name is traditionally associated with North Yorkshire and Lancashire. In Ireland, Throwen families are native to the Counties Cork, Galway, Leitrim, Roscommon, and Sligo.

There is a lack of documented history available for the origin and spread of the Throwen surname. This could be due to a number of reasons, including poor record keeping, population migrations, name mutations, and differences in spelling.

Given its rarity today, it is difficult to trace the Throwen name precisely. But records compiled from the 2019 United States Census suggest that this surname is present in sparsely populated states, counties, and small towns throughout the United States, Great Britain, and Ireland.

Variations of the surname Throwen

The surname Throwen is an anglicisation of the earlier Gaelic version Threórán, which has its own variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The anglicised version Throwen can also be spelled as Throwen, Thowen or Thowin. Alternative spellings include Threowen, Thoronew, Throwam and Thraonin.

The origin of the surname Throwen is from the English or Welsh personal name "seat," which means "noble" or "leader," deriving from the Old English words Thrawon or Threowan. It is therefore associated with being of "noble station".

Variants of Throwen include the Irish surnames Traynor and Truenor, Traynor being derived from the Irish Gaelic Ó Treabhair and Truenor from the Irish Gaelic Ó Treabhurnaigh. Traynor and Truenor were particularly prevalent in the 17th century.

Other spellings and variants of Throwen and its associated surnames include Threeman, Thriman, Thrimen, Trimond, Treman and Traman.

It is likely that the origin of Throwen arose from the Anglo-Saxon and Old English word Thrawon or Threowan, which was given to people of some significant rank. This is evident in its use as a surname in some families of nobility. In addition, Throwen may also have been developed over the centuries by families of Welsh, Scots, Irish or English origin who had emigrated from regions across the British Isles.

Famous people with the name Throwen

• Edward Throwen: Edward Throwen, born in 1915, was an American actor who appeared in over 200 films, on television, and on Broadway. He was known for his roles in the 1967 film The Dirty Dozen and the 1971 film Big Jake.
• Derek Throwen: Derek Throwen is an American football wide receiver who was drafted by the New York Giants in 2006. He currently plays for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
• Ryan Throwen: Ryan Throwen is an American singer-songwriter who has released three solo albums. He has written and produced music for many well-known artists, including Drake, Kanye West, Taylor Swift and John Mayer.
• Dylan Throwen: Dylan Throwen is an Australian actor, known for his role as Tim Collins in the popular soap opera Home and Away. He appeared in the show from 2007-2010 before moving on to other projects.
• Travis Throwen: Travis Throwen is an American lawyer and author. He is the founding partner of Throwen & Associates, a firm specializing in business law, real estate, and entertainment law. He is also the author of several books about business practices.
• Charles Throwen: Charles Throwen was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League. He won the Stanley Cup four times, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.
• Dan Throwen: Dan Throwen is an American professional skateboarder who has been sponsored by multiple skateboard companies throughout his career. He has released parts in several skateboarding video games and is recognized as one of the pioneers of the sport.

Other surnames

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