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Skinner Family History

Skinner Name Meaning

English: occupational name for someone who stripped the hide from animals to be used in the production of fur garments or to be tanned for leather from Middle English skinner ‘skinner’ an agent derivative of Middle English skin(n) ‘hide pelt’ (Old Norse skinn).

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


Similar surnames: Spinner, Tinner, Pinner, Stenner, Sonner, Binner, Finner, Kirner

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Skinner family from?

You can see how Skinner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Skinner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Skinner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 236 Skinner families living in New York. This was about 20% of all the recorded Skinner's in USA. New York had the highest population of Skinner families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Skinner surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Skinner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Skinner. 17% of Skinner men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Skinner women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Skinner were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Skinner | 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
    17%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Maid
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Skinner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 591,000 census records available for the last name Skinner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Skinner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Skinner

Passenger Lists

There are 47,000 immigration records available for the last name Skinner. 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 Skinner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 73,000 military records available for the last name Skinner. For the veterans among your Skinner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Skinner family history

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What is the average Skinner lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Skinner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Skinner in 1940 was 28, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Skinner

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Skinner family tree

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