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

Thorney Family History

Thorney Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Thorney (Cambridgeshire Nottinghamshire Suffolk Somerset) or West Thorney (Sussex). The Nottinghamshire placename derives from Old English thorn ‘thorn’ + haga ‘enclosure’; the others derive Old English thorn ‘thorn’ + ēg ‘island’. Compare Torney .

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


Similar surnames: Torney, Thorley, Thorner, Horney, Thornes, Thornley, Thorne, Chorney

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 Thorney family from?

You can see how Thorney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thorney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Thorney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 12 Thorney families living in Glamorgan. This was about 27% of all the recorded Thorney's in United Kingdom. Glamorgan and 1 other county had the highest population of Thorney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thorney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Thorney ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Thorney. 100% of Thorney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Thorney | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Thorney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Thorney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thorney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Thorney

Passenger Lists

There are 222 immigration records available for the last name Thorney. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Thorney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 196 military records available for the last name Thorney. For the veterans among your Thorney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thorney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thorney family history

Discover More

What is the average Thorney lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2003, in the United States, Thorney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Thorney in 1968 was 42, and 63 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thorney

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Thorney family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Thorney last name

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