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 footballerRupert Cawthorne, early 20th-century English footballerW. A. Cawthorne (1825–1897), schoolmaster in South Australia, father of CharlesCawthornJoe T. Cawthorn (1911-1967), American politicianJoseph Cawthorn (1867–1949), American stage and film actorRachel Cawthorn (born 1988), British sprint canoerWalter Cawthorn (1896–1970), Australian major general and diplomat