History of your Surname
Get access to Thornley family records.Start a free trial

Thornley Family History

Thornley Name Meaning

English (mainly Lancashire): habitational name from Thornley in Lancashire and perhaps also from Thornyleigh near Heaton in Leek (Staffordshire) and Thornleigh in Huddersfield (Yorkshire). The Lancashire name derives from Old English thornede ‘thorny’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’. The other placenames derive from Old English thorn ‘thorn tree’ or thornig ‘thorny’ + lēah.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Thorley, Chorley, Charnley, Horsley, Thomley, Townley, Torney, Harley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Thornley family from?

You can see how Thornley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thornley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thornley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 49 Thornley families living in Ontario. This was about 62% of all the recorded Thornley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Thornley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thornley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Thornley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Laborer and Income were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Thornley. 24% of Thornley men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Thornley women worked as an Income. .

View Census Data for Thornley | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Laborer
    24%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Cultivateur
    16%
  • Machinist
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Income
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Thornley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Thornley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thornley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Thornley

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Thornley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Thornley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Thornley. For the veterans among your Thornley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thornley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thornley family history

Discover More

What is the average Thornley lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Thornley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Thornley in 1952 was 47, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thornley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Thornley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Thornley last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial