Original Irish name which was translated as Thorn / Thornton

[Joney]

Hi,
Since the release of the Irish Catholic registers by the National Library this summer, I have been able to see the images myself and confirm what  a very helpful lady from the Skerries Historical Society told me some years ago.
My great great grandmother's maiden name is down as 'Thornton' on baptism entries in Liverpool, but the three eldest children were baptised in Skerries town and their mother's maiden name is recorded as'Thorn'.

My question is, what was the original Irish name for which first Thorn and later Thornton are used as translations ?
Thank you in advance to anyone who can help.

Joan

[Elwyn Soutter]

According to this site, Thorn is not a common Irish name at all. Only about 20 or 30 households of that name in Ireland in the mid 1800s.

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/

Only 20 Thorns in Ireland in the 1901 census, and half of them were born in England. My guess would be that the name came to Ireland with someone who settled there, and that it’s not a native name at all.

[myluck!]

FTR
In general conversation there are several words for thorn
dealg for a thorn or spine on a plant
sceach for a thorn or spine on woody bush or tree
coróin spíona - crown of thorns on Christ

[dermo]

According to Edward MacLysaght's "The Surnames of Ireland", Thorn (or Thorne) is "occasionally a variant form of Thoran and also found as an abbreviated form of Thornton.  Thorn itself is an English name".  He says Thoran comes from the Irish O Torain, where tor means lord.  Apparently, O Torain has also been anglicised as Tarrant and Torrens/Torrence.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

I am not sure if you have seen the followoing
from http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationlarchives.ie
Surname   Forename   Townland/Street      Parish   County   Year
Thorn      Bourke   Rockhill   Bruree      Limerick   1827-1834
Thorn      Thom   Rathbarry   Castlelyons        Cork      1824
Thorn      Lower    Bawnoges   Dalkey   Dublin   
Thorn      J      Killorgan   Kilbegnet   Galway   1824
Thorn      Robt      Birdhill   Kilcomb   Wexford   1825
Thorn      Wm      Birdhill   Kilcomb   Wexford   1825
Thorn      Robt      Birdhill   Kilcomenty   Tipperary   1834
Thorn      Wm      Birdhill   Kilcomenty   Tipperary   1834
Thorn      James   Lough   Lusk      Dublin      1833
Thorn      Mathw   Rush      Lusk      Dublin      1833
Thorn      Peter      Lough   Lusk      Dublin      1833
Thorn      Richd      Lough   Lusk      Dublin      1833
Thorn      Richd      Rush      Lusk      Dublin      1833
Lusk is a village and civil parish 14 miles north of Dublin, The Skerries are 10 minutes by car northwards They might all be in the Catholic parish of ………...

[Joney]

Thanks for all your answers. The Skerries parish  registers have many entries  for Thorn baptisms, so I'm surprised to hear that it's so uncommon  by 1901. Presumably  the disaster of the famine   and  consequent emigration explains  what happened.  Or they all became Thorntons like my ancestor ! The Manx for a thorny bush is 'skeig' I believe,  (courtesy of a reprinted 18th century Manx dictionary) which looks not unlike  one of the words which myluck!  has supplied. I will have to look at tithe records next !

You've given me lots more food for thought now !  I appreciate all your comments.
Joan