THURBER Family History

This surname is a derivation from the ancient Norse (pre 7th Century) personal name 'Thor-biorn'. This originates from the Gods name 'Thor' as in the modern weekday 'Thursday', and 'Biorn', a word - 'the Warrior'. The Vikings and the Anglo - Saxons were very keen on these compounds, as were the eleventh century Norman's, who themselves were of Scandanavian origins, and jokingly known as 'The walking Vikings'. Given this all round international popularity accounts for the survival of the name into the later 'surname' period, when many 'Olde English' baptismal names were lost.