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Sorby Family History

Sorby Surname Meaning

Norwegian (Sørby): habitational name from any of fifteen or more farmsteads in southeastern Norway, most of them variants of Sørbø (see Sorbo) with Old Norse býr ‘farm settlement’ as the final element.

In some cases, the first element may be sør ‘south’.

English (Yorkshire): variant of Sowerby.

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 Sorby family from?

You can see how Sorby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sorby family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sorby families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 213 Sorby families living in Yorkshire. This was about 74% of all the recorded Sorby's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Sorby families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sorby 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 Sorby 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 Sorby. 60% of Sorby men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Sorby women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sorby were Genl Labourer (h W) and Housewife.

View Census Data for Sorby | 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
    60%
  • Genl Labourer (h W)
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Private Means
    9%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Sorby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Sorby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sorby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sorby

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Sorby. 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 Sorby immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 503 military records available for the last name Sorby. For the veterans among your Sorby ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sorby military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sorby family history

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What is the average Sorby lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Sorby life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Sorby in 1964 was 71, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sorby

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

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