Thornton Family History

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Thornton Name Meaning

English and Scottish: habitational name from any of the numerous places throughout England and Scotland so called, from Old English þorn ‘thorn bush’ + tun ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’. Irish: Anglicized (translated) form of Gaelic Mac Sceacháin ‘son of Sceachán’ (see Skehan). Irish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Draighneáin ‘descendant of Draighneán’ (see Drennan). Irish: possibly a translated form of Gaelic Ó Muineacháin (see Monahan).

Similar surnames: Horton, Thorton, Houston, Thorington, Thurston, Charlton, Harton

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You can see how Thornton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thornton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thornton families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 5,361 Thornton families living in Yorkshire. This was about 36% of all the recorded Thornton's in the UK. Yorkshire had the highest population of Thornton families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thornton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Thornton

Thornton Family Occupations

What did your Thornton ancestors do for a living?

View Census data for Thornton | Data not to scale

Coal Miner
3%
Farmer
2%
Agricultural Labourer
2%
Labourer
2%

Thornton Historical Records

What Thornton family records will you find?

Census Record
There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Thornton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thornton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search 1891 UK census records for Thornton
Passenger List
There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Thornton. 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 Thornton immigration records
Draft Card
There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Thornton. For the veterans among your Thornton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Thornton military records

Census Record

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Thornton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thornton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search 1891 UK census records for Thornton

Passenger List

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Thornton. 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 Thornton immigration records

Draft Card

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Thornton. For the veterans among your Thornton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thornton military records

Thornton Life Expectancy

What is the average Thornton lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Thornton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Thornton in 1943 was 41, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thornton