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Torkelson Family History

Torkelson Name Meaning

Americanized form of Norwegian Torkelsen or its rare variant Torkellsen: patronymic from the personal name Torkel(l) a form of Old Norse Thorketill composed of the name of the god Thórr (see Thor ) + ketill ‘sacrificial cauldron helmet’. Compare Thorkelson . Americanized form (and a rare Swedish variant) of Swedish Torkelsson rare Swedish cognate of 1 above.

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


Similar surnames: Kelson, Torgersen, Trulson, Askelson, Thorkelson, Borreson, Okeson

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Where is the Torkelson family from?

You can see how Torkelson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Torkelson family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Torkelson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 5 Torkelson families living in Essex. This was about 83% of all the recorded Torkelson's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Torkelson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Torkelson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Torkelson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Torkelson. 32% of Torkelson men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Torkelson women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Torkelson were Carpenter and Maid. .

View Census Data for Torkelson | 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, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farm Laborer
    7%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    17%
  • Housewife
    14%
  • Teacher
    14%
  • Maid
    14%
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What Torkelson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Torkelson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Torkelson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Torkelson

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Torkelson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Torkelson immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Torkelson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Torkelson family history

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What is the average Torkelson lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Torkelson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Torkelson in 1954 was 42, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Torkelson

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