1) Danish surname 
Thorup (or Torup) is the name of at least 13 villages and towns in Denmark, and is also used as a surname. The name Thorup ends on `rup` (rup, strup, torp, and drup are all descended from an old Scandinavian designation for a group of houses), which means that it originates from the late Viking Age, circa AD 1000. == Sources == ...