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Towner Family History

Towner Surname Meaning

English (Sussex and Kent):: topographic name from Middle English toun(e) ton(e) ‘town village settlement’ (Old English tūn) + -er for someone who lived in a ‘town’. Compare Town.

Perhaps occasionally an occupational name for a toll taker or tax collector from tolenar, an agent derivative of Middle English toll ‘tax payment’. Compare Towler.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Towner family from?

You can see how Towner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Towner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Towner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 296 Towner families living in Kent. This was about 36% of all the recorded Towner's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Towner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Towner 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 Towner ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Towner. 11% of Towner men worked as a Gardener and 72% of Towner women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Towner were Lorry Driver and Housewife.

View Census Data for Towner | 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

  • Gardener
    11%
  • Farm Labourer Heavy Worker
    9%
  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Lorry Driver
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Towner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Towner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Towner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Towner

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Towner. 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 Towner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Towner. For the veterans among your Towner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Towner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Towner family history

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What is the average Towner lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Towner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Towner in 1942 was 34, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Towner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Towner 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Towner family tree

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