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Thorner Family History

Thorner Name Meaning

German (Thörner): topographic name for someone who lived by a thorn bush or a habitational name for someone from a place called Thorn (see Thorn 3 and ). German: occupational name for a watchman on a tower. Swedish (also Thornér): ornamental name composed of the elements torn törne ‘thorn bush’ + the suffix -er (from German) or -ér (a derivative of Latin -erius). This surname is rare in Sweden. English (Dorset): habitational name from Thorner in Yorkshire derived from Old English thorn ‘thorn tree’ + ofer ‘slope hill ridge’ or a topographic name from Middle English thorner ‘dweller at the thorn bush(es)’. Compare Thorne .

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


Similar surnames: Horner, Thorn, Thorne, Turner, Borner, Thornell, Torney, Horney

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 Thorner family from?

You can see how Thorner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thorner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thorner families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 4 Thorner families living in Massachusetts. This was about 80% of all the recorded Thorner's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Thorner families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thorner surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Thorner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thorner. 35% of Thorner men worked as a Laborer and 27% of Thorner women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thorner were Clerk and Operator. .

View Census Data for Thorner | 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
    35%
  • Salesman
    23%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Clerk
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    27%
  • Secretary
    20%
  • Insurance Broker
    14%
  • Operator
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Thorner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Thorner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thorner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Thorner

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Thorner. 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 Thorner immigration records

Draft Cards

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

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What is the average Thorner lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Thorner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Thorner in 1951 was 45, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thorner

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