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Tinker Family History

Tinker Surname Meaning

English (mainly Yorkshire): occupational name for a mender of pots and pans Middle English tink(l)er (of uncertain etymology).

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


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Where is the Tinker family from?

You can see how Tinker families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tinker family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tinker families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 539 Tinker families living in Yorkshire. This was about 43% of all the recorded Tinker's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Tinker families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tinker 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 Tinker 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 Tinker. 11% of Tinker men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Tinker women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tinker were Licensed Victualler and Private Means.

View Census Data for Tinker | 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
    11%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Retired
    7%
  • Licensed Victualler
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Tinker family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 66,000 census records available for the last name Tinker. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tinker census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tinker

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Tinker military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tinker family history

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What is the average Tinker lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Tinker life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Tinker in 1952 was 51, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tinker

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tinker 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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