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Thigpen Family History

Thigpen Surname Meaning

Probably an altered form of English Thickpenny which belonged to a late 15th-century merchant family based in Plymouth (Devon) and in York. In the 16th and 17th centuries it is recorded as a gentry surname in Rutland, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, East Anglia, and Ireland.

The surname appears to be a nickname ‘thick penny’ but the motivation is obscure, and it may be an altered form by folk etymology of some other name. In North America and Ireland, there is a close family relationship between persons named Thigpen and those named Phippen.

However, if the two names are linguistically related, it is more likely that Phippen would be a simplified pronunciation of Thickpenny alias Thigpen than the other way round.

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


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Where is the Thigpen family from?

You can see how Thigpen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thigpen family name was found in the USA between 1840 and 1920. The most Thigpen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 14 Thigpen families living in Louisiana. This was about 25% of all the recorded Thigpen's in USA. Louisiana and 1 other state had the highest population of Thigpen families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thigpen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Thigpen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thigpen. 27% of Thigpen men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Thigpen women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thigpen were Truck Driver and Housewife.

View Census Data for Thigpen | 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
    27%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farming
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Maid
    7%
  • Housewife
    6%

What Thigpen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Thigpen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thigpen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Thigpen

Passenger Lists

There are 851 immigration records available for the last name Thigpen. 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 Thigpen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Thigpen. For the veterans among your Thigpen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thigpen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thigpen family history

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What is the average Thigpen lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Thigpen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Thigpen in 1948 was 41, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thigpen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thigpen 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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