What does the extra "e" mean in some names?

Many times, I saw an "e" on some names. For example:

blackthorne

Is this only for decoration, or is the extra "e" from old english? Or maybe spelling for certain cultures?

Solution 1:

Yes, all of the above. It's often added to "invented" names to make them seem higher-class. Sometimes the extra "e" is just an accident of history -- when the spelling was "hardened" vs what the style was at that moment, sometimes the extra "e" is due to it being "borrowed" from French or some other language. (Net: Aside from its possible effect on pronunciation the extra "e" is meaningless.)