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Turney Family History

Turney Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from any of the places in northern France called Tournai-sur-Dive (Orne), Tournay-sur-Odon (Calvados), or Tourny (Eure), or occasionally from Tournai in Hainaut (Belgium).

Perhaps occasionally an occupational name from Middle English tournei turnai ‘lawyer’ (Anglo-Norman French tourné) or a nickname from Middle English tournei(en) ‘(to) joust, take part in a tournament’ (Old French torneier).

Compare Turner.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Turney family from?

You can see how Turney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Turney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Turney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 299 Turney families living in London. This was about 21% of all the recorded Turney's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Turney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Turney 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 Turney 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 Turney. 13% of Turney men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Turney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Turney were Gardener and Housewife.

View Census Data for Turney | 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
    13%
  • Farmer
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Gardener
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Turney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 67,000 census records available for the last name Turney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Turney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Turney

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Turney. 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 Turney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Turney. For the veterans among your Turney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Turney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Turney family history

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What is the average Turney lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Turney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Turney in 1944 was 48, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Turney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Turney 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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