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Gunner Family History

Gunner Surname Meaning

English (southeastern England of Norman origin): from the Old Norse female personal name Gunvor, Gunwǫr, Gunnor, also a common Norman name usually Latinized as Gunnora, composed of the elements gunn ‘battle’ + vǫr a feminine form of varr ‘defender’.

English: occupational name for an operator of heavy artillery from Middle English gonner ‘gunner’.

Americanized form of German Gönner, a habitational name for someone from any of numerous places called Gönne.

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


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Where is the Gunner family from?

You can see how Gunner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gunner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gunner families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 248 Gunner families living in Surrey. This was about 28% of all the recorded Gunner's in United Kingdom. Surrey had the highest population of Gunner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gunner 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 Gunner 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 Gunner. 13% of Gunner men worked as a Gardener and 74% of Gunner women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gunner were Lorry Driver and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Gunner | 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
    13%
  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Bricklayer
    9%
  • Lorry Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Gunner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 35,000 census records available for the last name Gunner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gunner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gunner

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Gunner. For the veterans among your Gunner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gunner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gunner family history

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What is the average Gunner lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Gunner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Gunner in 1957 was 38, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gunner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gunner 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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