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Sanborn Family History

Sanborn Surname Meaning

English: habitational name probably from Sambourne in Warminster or Sambourn in Minety (both Wiltshire) but perhaps also from Sambourne (Warwickshire).

The placenames all derive from Old English sand ‘sand’ + burna ‘spring stream’.

This surname is now rare in Britain.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Sanborn family from?

You can see how Sanborn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sanborn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sanborn families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 9 Sanborn families living in Devon. This was about 64% of all the recorded Sanborn's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Sanborn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sanborn 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 Sanborn ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sanborn. 14% of Sanborn men worked as a Farmer and 11% of Sanborn women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sanborn were Manager and Clerk.

View Census Data for Sanborn | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    14%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Manager
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%

What Sanborn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 73,000 census records available for the last name Sanborn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sanborn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sanborn

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Sanborn. 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 Sanborn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Sanborn. For the veterans among your Sanborn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sanborn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sanborn family history

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What is the average Sanborn lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Sanborn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Sanborn in 1941 was 68, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sanborn

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sanborn 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 Sanborn family tree

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