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Thing Family History

Thing Surname Meaning

English (Suffolk and Norfolk): nickname from Middle English thing(e) think(e) probably applied in the sense ‘living being person’

although the precise motivation is unclear.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Thing family from?

You can see how Thing families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thing family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thing families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 7 Thing families living in British Columbia. This was about 78% of all the recorded Thing's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Thing families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thing surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Thing ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thing. 23% of Thing men worked as a Farmer and 67% of Thing women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thing were Cook and Music Teacher.

View Census Data for Thing | 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

  • Farmer
    23%
  • Laborer
    23%
  • Machinist
    10%
  • Cook
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    67%
  • Music Teacher
    34%

What Thing family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Thing. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thing census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Thing

Passenger Lists

There are 861 immigration records available for the last name Thing. 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 Thing immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Thing. For the veterans among your Thing ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thing military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thing family history

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What is the average Thing lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2003, in the United States, Thing life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Thing in 1953 was 33, and 71 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thing

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thing 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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