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Thornber Family History

Thornber Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the five minor places in Yorkshire called Thornber particularly Thornber in Halton West.

The placenames derive from Old English thorn ‘thorn’ + beorg ‘hill mound’.

Irish: adopted for various Irish names containing an element meaning ‘thorn’;

compare Thornton.

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 Thornber family from?

You can see how Thornber families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thornber family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thornber families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 529 Thornber families living in Lancashire. This was about 66% of all the recorded Thornber's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Thornber families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thornber 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 Thornber ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cotton Weaver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Thornber. 30% of Thornber men worked as a Cotton Weaver and 72% of Thornber women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thornber were Insurance Agent and Private Means.

View Census Data for Thornber | 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

  • Cotton Weaver
    30%
  • Dairy Farmer
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Insurance Agent
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Cotton Weaver
    8%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Thornber family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Thornber. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thornber census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Thornber

Passenger Lists

There are 996 immigration records available for the last name Thornber. 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 Thornber immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 739 military records available for the last name Thornber. For the veterans among your Thornber ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thornber military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thornber family history

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What is the average Thornber lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Thornber life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1984, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Thornber in 1956 was 62, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thornber

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thornber 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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