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Townshend Family History

Townshend Surname Meaning

English (mainly Norfolk): variant of Townsend.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Townshend family from?

You can see how Townshend families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Townshend family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Townshend families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 228 Townshend families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Townshend's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Townshend families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Townshend 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 Townshend ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Private Means and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Townshend. 10% of Townshend men worked as a Private Means and 72% of Townshend women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Townshend were Grocers Assistant and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Townshend | 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

  • Private Means
    10%
  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    8%
  • Grocers Assistant
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Private Means
    7%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    3%

What Townshend family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Townshend. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Townshend census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Townshend

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Townshend. 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 Townshend immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Townshend. For the veterans among your Townshend ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Townshend military records

You've only scratched the surface of Townshend family history

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What is the average Townshend lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Townshend life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Townshend in 1961 was 65, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Townshend

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Townshend 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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