Gurney Family History

Gurney Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Gournay-en-Brai in Seine-Maritime in France.

Perhaps occasionally also a habitational name from Great Gornhay in Tiverton (Devon); see Garnsey.

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

Similar surnames: Turney, Burney, Furney, Curley, Turner, Garney, Corney, Durley, Cerney, Gunner

456,000 record(s) for Gurney

127K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
10K	Military Records
9K	Immigration Records
93K	Census and Voter Lists
217K	Member Trees

Where is the Gurney family from?

You can see how Gurney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gurney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gurney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 76 Gurney families living in Massachusetts. This was about 55% of all the recorded Gurney's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Gurney families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gurney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gurney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gurney. 15% of Gurney men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Gurney women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gurney were Truck driver and Stenographer.

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

15%

Farmer

12%

Salesman

9%

Truck driver

5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Clerk

11%

Housekeeper

10%

Teacher

8%

Stenographer

6%

What Gurney family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 93K census records available for the last name Gurney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gurney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Passenger List

There are 9K immigration records available for the last name Gurney. 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.

Military Records

There are 10K military records available for the last name Gurney. For the veterans among your Gurney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

What is the average Gurney lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Gurney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Gurney in 1944 was 37, and 84 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gurney ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.