Cawthorne is a toponymic surname related to the village of Cawthorne in South Yorkshire, England, or alternatively the village of Cawthorn in North Yorkshire, England. The linguistic origin of the surname is the Old English cald-thorne meaning "cold (or exposed) thorn-tree".
Among the documented variants of this surname are Cawthorn, Cawthon, Corthorn and Cawthron.
Charles Cawthorne (1854–1925), music promoter, a founder of Cawthorne and Co.
Harry Cawthorne (born 1900), English former footballer
Rupert Cawthorne, early 20th-century English footballer
W. A. Cawthorne (1825–1897), schoolmaster in South Australia, father of Charles
Cawthorn
Joe T. Cawthorn (1911-1967), American politician
Joseph Cawthorn (1867–1949), American stage and film actor
Rachel Cawthorn (born 1988), British sprint canoer
Walter Cawthorn (1896–1970), Australian major general and diplomat
