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Beaver Family History

Beaver Name Meaning

English: habitational name from Belvoir in Leicestershire pronounced beever (/bi:və/) so named with Old French beu bel ‘fair lovely’ + veïr voir ‘to see’ i.e. a place with a fine view. This name may also be derived from any of several places in France called Beauvoir for example in Manche Somme and Seine-Maritime all of which have the same etymology as above. English: nickname from Middle English bever bevre (Old English beofor) ‘beaver’ possibly referring to a hard worker or from some other fancied resemblance to the animal. The existence of patronymic forms such as Beaverson suggest that this may also have been a personal name. Native American (Creek): from a translation into English of the Muscogee Creek clan name Echaswvlke (‘Beaver clan’) derived from a word meaning ‘beaver’. Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of any other personal name based on a word such as Cheyenne homa'e meaning ‘beaver’. The importance of the beaver to Native Americans is reflected in their traditional personal names some of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Beaver Heart (in Cheyenne Homa'ehesta; see also Hart ). Americanized form (translation into English) of cognates of 2 above in other languages in particular Dutch Bever and German Bieber .

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


Similar surnames: Bever, Weaver, Beaber, Berner, Beamer, Haver, Seaver, Beever, Blamer

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Where is the Beaver family from?

You can see how Beaver families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Beaver family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Beaver families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 252 Beaver families living in Lancashire. This was about 18% of all the recorded Beaver's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Beaver families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Beaver surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Beaver ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Beaver. 18% of Beaver men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Beaver women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Beaver were Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie. .

View Census Data for Beaver | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    18%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    5%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Beaver family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 117,000 census records available for the last name Beaver. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Beaver census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Beaver

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Beaver. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Beaver. For the veterans among your Beaver ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Beaver lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Beaver life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Beaver in 1942 was 59, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Beaver

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