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Thorley Family History

Thorley Name Meaning

English (mainly Staffordshire): habitational name in most cases probably a variant of Thornley although there are places called Thorley (in Hertfordshire and in Lincolnshire) which could have contributed to the surname; these are also named from Old English thorn ‘thorn bush’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

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


Similar surnames: Thornley, Thomley, Chorley, Torney, Worley, Horsley, Harley, Morley

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Thorley family from?

You can see how Thorley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thorley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thorley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 9 Thorley families living in Ohio. This was about 75% of all the recorded Thorley's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Thorley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thorley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Thorley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thorley. 20% of Thorley men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Thorley women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thorley were Clerk and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Thorley | 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

  • Laborer
    20%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Carpenter
    12%
  • Clerk
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    34%
  • Housekeeper
    14%
  • Waitress
    14%
  • Housewife
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Thorley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 35,000 census records available for the last name Thorley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thorley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Thorley

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Thorley. 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 Thorley immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Thorley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thorley family history

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What is the average Thorley lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Thorley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Thorley in 1963 was 77, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thorley

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