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Thornley Family History

Thornley Surname Meaning

English (mainly Lancashire): habitational name from Thornley in Lancashire and perhaps also from Thornyleigh near Heaton in Leek (Staffordshire) and Thornleigh in Huddersfield (Yorkshire).

The Lancashire name derives from Old English thornede ‘thorny’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

The other placenames derive from Old English thorn ‘thorn tree’ or thornig ‘thorny’ + lēah.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Thornley family from?

You can see how Thornley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thornley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thornley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,421 Thornley families living in Lancashire. This was about 56% of all the recorded Thornley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Thornley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thornley 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 Thornley 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 Thornley. 14% of Thornley men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Thornley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thornley were Insurance Agent and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Thornley | 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
    14%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Insurance Agent
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Household Duties
    2%

What Thornley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Thornley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thornley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Thornley

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Thornley. 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 Thornley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Thornley. For the veterans among your Thornley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thornley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thornley family history

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What is the average Thornley lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Thornley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Thornley in 1952 was 47, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thornley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thornley 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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