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Thornhill Family History

Thornhill Surname Meaning

English (mainly Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from any of various places called Thornhill for example in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire.

It is derived from Old English thorn ‘thorn tree’ + hyll ‘hill’.

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 Thornhill family from?

You can see how Thornhill families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thornhill family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thornhill families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 339 Thornhill families living in Lancashire. This was about 16% of all the recorded Thornhill's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Thornhill families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thornhill 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 Thornhill 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 Thornhill. 8% of Thornhill men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Thornhill women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thornhill were Farm Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Thornhill | 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
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Farm Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

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

What Thornhill family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 55,000 census records available for the last name Thornhill. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thornhill census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Thornhill

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Thornhill. 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 Thornhill immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Thornhill. For the veterans among your Thornhill ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thornhill military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thornhill family history

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What is the average Thornhill lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Thornhill life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Thornhill in 1943 was 44, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thornhill

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thornhill 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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