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Thornson Family History

Thornson Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Thornton, Thorson, Thoreson, Tronson, Thompson, Thomason, Thorton

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Thornson family from?

You can see how Thornson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thornson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thornson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 12 Thornson families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Thornson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Thornson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thornson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Thornson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Seamstress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thornson. 38% of Thornson men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Thornson women worked as a Seamstress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thornson were Engineer and Saleslady. .

View Census Data for Thornson | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    38%
  • Salesman
    21%
  • Truck Driver
    17%
  • Engineer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    20%
  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Cashier
    20%
  • Saleslady
    20%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Thornson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Thornson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thornson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Thornson

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Thornson. 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 Thornson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 172 military records available for the last name Thornson. For the veterans among your Thornson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thornson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thornson family history

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What is the average Thornson lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2002, in the United States, Thornson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Thornson in 1963 was 67, and 74 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thornson

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Thornson family tree

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