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Skinner Family History

Skinner Surname Meaning

English: occupational name for someone who stripped the hide from animals to be used in the production of fur garments or to be tanned for leather.

From Middle English skinner ‘skinner’, an agent derivative of Middle English skin(n) ‘hide, pelt’.

(Old Norse skinn).

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Skinner family from?

You can see how Skinner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Skinner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Skinner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2,687 Skinner families living in London. This was about 21% of all the recorded Skinner's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Skinner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Skinner 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 Skinner ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Skinner. 5% of Skinner men worked as a General Labourer and 64% of Skinner women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Skinner were Builders Labourer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Skinner | 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
    5%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    64%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Skinner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 591,000 census records available for the last name Skinner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Skinner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Skinner

Passenger Lists

There are 47,000 immigration records available for the last name Skinner. 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 Skinner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 73,000 military records available for the last name Skinner. For the veterans among your Skinner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Skinner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Skinner family history

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What is the average Skinner lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Skinner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Skinner in 1940 was 28, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Skinner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Skinner 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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