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Caleb Family History

Caleb Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire) and Welsh (Monmouthshire): from the Biblical personal name Caleb which is derived from ancient Hebrew kaleb ‘dog’. It was the name of one of the only two men who set out with Moses from Egypt to live long enough to enter the promised land (Numbers 265). This name was popular among the Puritans in the 17th century and was brought by them as a personal name to America. Possibly also an Americanized form of Croatian Kaleb: nickname from an old spelling of galeb ‘seagull’.

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


Similar surnames: Caley, Sales, Paley, Calder, Cater, Carleo, Mccaleb, Eales, Cales

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Where is the Caleb family from?

You can see how Caleb families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Caleb family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Caleb families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 14 Caleb families living in Yorkshire. This was about 45% of all the recorded Caleb's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Caleb families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Caleb surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Caleb 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 Caleb. 50% of Caleb men worked as a General Labourer and 89% of Caleb women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Caleb were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie. .

View Census Data for Caleb | 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
    50%
  • Builders Labourer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Caleb family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Caleb. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Caleb census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Caleb

Passenger Lists

There are 657 immigration records available for the last name Caleb. 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 1,000 military records available for the last name Caleb. For the veterans among your Caleb ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Caleb lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Caleb life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Caleb in 1956 was 45, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Caleb

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