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Dorn Family History

Dorn Surname Meaning

German: topographic name for someone who lived by a thorn bush or thorn hedge from Middle High German dorn ‘thorn’ or a habitational name from any of numerous places called with this word. It is also found in Poland and Czechia.

Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Dorn ‘thorn’. English: habitational name from Dorn in Blockley Worcestershire which is possibly derived from British duro- ‘fort stronghold’.

English: variant of Thorn, a topographic name for someone who lived by a thorn bush or hedge (Old English Old Norse thorn) or alternatively a habitational name from a place named with Old English Old Norse thorn ‘thorn bush’.

For example Thorne in Kent Somerset and South Yorkshire.

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


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Where is the Dorn family from?

You can see how Dorn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dorn families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 22 Dorn families living in Gloucestershire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Dorn's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Dorn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorn 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 Dorn ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer Unemp and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dorn. 34% of Dorn men worked as a General Labourer Unemp and 69% of Dorn women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dorn were Cowman and Domestic Unpaid.

View Census Data for Dorn | 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

  • General Labourer Unemp
    34%
  • General Labourer
    34%
  • Cowman
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Domestic Duties
    8%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    4%
  • Domestic Unpaid
    4%

What Dorn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 50,000 census records available for the last name Dorn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dorn

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Dorn. 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 Dorn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Dorn. For the veterans among your Dorn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dorn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dorn family history

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What is the average Dorn lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Dorn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Dorn in 1946 was 33, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorn

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dorn 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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