History of your Surname
Get access to Sorby family records.Start a free trial

Sorby Family History

Sorby Name Meaning

Norwegian (Sørby): habitational name from any of fifteen or more farmsteads in southeastern Norway most of them variants of Sørbø (see Sorbo ) with Old Norse býr ‘farm settlement’ as the final element. In some cases the first element may be sør ‘south’. English (Yorkshire): variant of Sowerby .

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


Similar surnames: Corby, Sorbo, Sorsby, Morby, Worby, Norby, Cosby, Saxby, Hobby

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Sorby family from?

You can see how Sorby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sorby family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sorby families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there was 1 Sorby family living in Ohio. This was 100% of all the recorded Sorby's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Sorby families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sorby surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Sorby ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and House Work were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sorby. 25% of Sorby men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Sorby women worked as a House Work. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sorby were Salesman and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Sorby | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    25%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Farm Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • House Work
    60%
  • Waitress
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sorby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Sorby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sorby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Sorby

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Sorby. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Sorby immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 503 military records available for the last name Sorby. For the veterans among your Sorby ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sorby military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sorby family history

Discover More

What is the average Sorby lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Sorby life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Sorby in 1964 was 71, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sorby

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sorby family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Sorby last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial