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Turnham Family History

Turnham Name Meaning

English (Buckinghamshire and Middlesex): habitational name primarily from Turnham Green in Chiswick (Greater London) but occasionally also from Turnham Hall in Cliffe (Yorkshire). The placenames probably derive from Old English trun turn ‘circular round’ possibly also ‘bend (in a river)’ + hām ‘village homestead’ or hamm ‘enclosure water meadow’.

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


Similar surnames: Burnham, Farnham, Burcham, Derham, Braham, Dunham, Burham, Worsham

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 Turnham family from?

You can see how Turnham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Turnham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Turnham families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 117 Turnham families living in London. This was about 40% of all the recorded Turnham's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Turnham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Turnham surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Turnham ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Boot Repairer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Turnham. 17% of Turnham men worked as a Boot Repairer and 90% of Turnham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Turnham were Labourer Retired and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Turnham | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Boot Repairer
    17%
  • Mathematical Drawing Instrument Maker
    17%
  • Chauffeur
    17%
  • Labourer Retired
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    90%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Turnham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Turnham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Turnham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Turnham

Passenger Lists

There are 899 immigration records available for the last name Turnham. 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 Turnham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 867 military records available for the last name Turnham. For the veterans among your Turnham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Turnham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Turnham family history

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What is the average Turnham lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Turnham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Turnham in 1963 was 65, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Turnham

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