Origins of the Turner surname

What does the name Turner mean?

The origin of the Turner surname is thought to be mostly occupational, relating to those who made objects by using a lathe, turning wood or metal to finish them. More rarely Turner can refer to someone who runs or takes part in a tournament, or can be related to someone who is noted to be fast at running, a 'turnhare'. The Turner surname has been found in documents dating back to the 1100s and is believed to have originated in Normandy, being brought to England with the Norman conquest of the 11th century.

Alternative variations of the name Turner

Turner, Turnour, Turnar, Torner, Turnor

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Delve deeper into the Turner family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 2652North West 2661Isle of Man 67Yorkshire 10807East Midlands 2906West Midlands 6726East 5206London 15790South East 7266South West 2096South Wales 893Mid Wales 131West Wales 58North Wales 224Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Turners lived in london

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Interesting facts about Turner

How common is your surname?

21st most common surname in the UK

We have for the Turner surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Turners most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Turners.

What are the most common Turner first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Turner family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Turners

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Turners in 1921

Dressmaker

3,439

Cotton Weaver

2,192

Laundress

2,128

Domestic Servant

2,106

General Servant Domestic

1,883

Commmon male occupations for Turners in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

3,822

General Labourer

3,075

Coal Miner

2,910

Farm Labourer

2,151

Farmer

2,114

We found over 610,000 family trees with the Turner surname

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