Recorded in many forms including Langhorne, Langthorne, Longhorne and Longthorne, this is an English surname. It is probably locational, and if so would seem to have originated from either Langthorne, a village near the market town of Bedale in North Yorkshire, or Longthorne, a now lost medieval village in Dorset. 'Lang horna' in pre 7th century Olde English described a long straight spur of land. 'Long thorn' would seem to be illogical, unless it described residence at a 'long field, where thorn trees grew'. Another possibility is that the name was a medieval nickname similar to Longstaff or even Shakespeare, in which case it would have had a 'Chaucerian' meaning! The early recordings include William Langhorne of Cumberland, in the register of students at Oxford University in 1582, John Longhorne at St Mary Whitechapel, city of London, on July 26th 1629, and Wylly Longthorn of Norwich, on April 2nd 1632. Richard Longthorne (also recorded as Langhorne), was executed for his part in the 'Popish plot' of 1679, although it is almost certain that he was an innocent victim. The coat of arms granted in Bedford in 1610, has the blazon of a black field, charged with a silver cross, on a chief in silver, three buglehorns of the field, stringed red.

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