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Thorsness Family History

Thorsness Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Thornes, Harkness, Thorner, Thorsell, Harness, Holness, Thornell

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Thorsness family from?

You can see how Thorsness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thorsness family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Thorsness families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 6 Thorsness families living in Ontario. This was about 55% of all the recorded Thorsness's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Thorsness families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thorsness 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 Thorsness ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and House Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thorsness. 47% of Thorsness men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Thorsness women worked as a House Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thorsness were Proprietor and Incompetent Of Labor.

View Census Data for Thorsness | 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
    47%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Truck Driver
    14%
  • Proprietor
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • House Maid
    50%
  • Incompetent Of Labor
    50%

What Thorsness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 888 census records available for the last name Thorsness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thorsness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Thorsness

Passenger Lists

There are 154 immigration records available for the last name Thorsness. 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 Thorsness immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 119 military records available for the last name Thorsness. For the veterans among your Thorsness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thorsness military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thorsness family history

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What is the average Thorsness lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Thorsness life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Thorsness in 1955 was 52, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thorsness

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thorsness 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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