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Thorndike Family History

Thorndike Surname Meaning

English (Suffolk and Lincolnshire): habitational name from a lost placename composed of Middle English thorn ‘thorn’ + dike ‘ditch dyke’ (Old English thorn + dīc)

perhaps in Lincolnshire.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Thorndike family from?

You can see how Thorndike families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thorndike family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thorndike families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 98 Thorndike families living in Suffolk. This was about 41% of all the recorded Thorndike's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Thorndike families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thorndike 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 Thorndike ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farm Labourer Heavy Worker and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Thorndike. 22% of Thorndike men worked as a Farm Labourer Heavy Worker and 84% of Thorndike women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thorndike were Farmer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Thorndike | 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

  • Farm Labourer Heavy Worker
    22%
  • Bricklayer
    16%
  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Farmer
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Thorndike family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Thorndike

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Thorndike. 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 Thorndike immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Thorndike military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thorndike family history

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What is the average Thorndike lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Thorndike life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Thorndike in 1958 was 50, and 67 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thorndike

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thorndike 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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