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Thorney Family History

Thorney Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Thorney (Cambridgeshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Somerset) or West Thorney (Sussex). The Nottinghamshire placename derives from Old English thorn ‘thorn’ + haga ‘enclosure’; the others derive from Old English thorn ‘thorn’ + ēg ‘island’.

Compare Torney.

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


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Where is the Thorney family from?

You can see how Thorney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thorney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Thorney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 6 Thorney families living in Alberta. This was about 43% of all the recorded Thorney's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Thorney families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thorney 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 Thorney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thorney. 60% of Thorney men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Thorney women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thorney were Mechanic and Secretary.

View Census Data for Thorney | 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
    60%
  • Mechanic
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    50%
  • Secretary
    50%

What Thorney family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Thorney

Passenger Lists

There are 222 immigration records available for the last name Thorney. 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 Thorney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 196 military records available for the last name Thorney. For the veterans among your Thorney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thorney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thorney family history

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What is the average Thorney lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2003, in the United States, Thorney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Thorney in 1968 was 42, and 63 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thorney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thorney 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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