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Thunder Family History

Thunder Name Meaning

Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word such as Lakota and Dakota Sioux wakiŋyaŋ meaning ‘thunder’. In the cosmology of some Native American peoples thunder is personified and considered a sacred power. This is reflected in traditional Native American personal names some of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Thunder Hawk (see Thunderhawk ). English: nickname from Middle English thonder thunder ‘thunder’ (Old English thunor) perhaps used for someone with a thunderous voice. English: occupational name from Middle English tunder (Old French tondour) ‘shearman; one who shears the nap of woollen cloth’.

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


Similar surnames: Hunger, Wunder, Thune, Sunder, Pounder, Chander, Klunder, Tinder

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Thunder family from?

You can see how Thunder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thunder family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Thunder families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there was 1 Thunder family living in Michigan. This was about 50% of all the recorded Thunder's in USA. Michigan and 1 other state had the highest population of Thunder families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thunder 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 Thunder ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Music Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thunder. 31% of Thunder men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Thunder women worked as a Music Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thunder were Farm Laborer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Thunder | 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
    31%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Carpenter
    16%
  • Farm Laborer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Music Teacher
    50%
  • Housewife
    50%
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What Thunder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Thunder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thunder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Thunder

Passenger Lists

There are 557 immigration records available for the last name Thunder. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 678 military records available for the last name Thunder. For the veterans among your Thunder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Thunder lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Thunder life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2001, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Thunder in 1945 was 38, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thunder

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