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Rorkness Family History

Rorkness Surname 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: Harkness, Rogness, Nordness, Forness, Furness, Fornes, Rokes, Harness

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rorkness family from?

You can see how Rorkness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rorkness family name was found in Scotland in 1891. In 1891 there were 4 Rorkness families living in Orkney. This was 100% of all the recorded Rorkness's in Scotland. Orkney had the highest population of Rorkness families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rorkness surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What Rorkness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4 census records available for the last name Rorkness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rorkness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Rorkness

Passenger Lists

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Rorkness. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Rorkness. For the veterans among your Rorkness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Rorkness family history

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What is the average Rorkness lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rorkness ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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