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Devitt Family History

Devitt Name Meaning

Irish: shortened form of McDevitt ‘son of David’. English: of uncertain origin. The Irish name in 1 above is unlikely to have appeared in 16th-century Warwickshire and the early form Dyvet(t) does not look like a local English (as distinct from an Irish) pronunciation of David . Middle English defet (Old French desfait) ‘disfigured changed in appearance’ is a formal possibility but it is nowhere recorded as a Middle English surname. A habitational name from Defford (Worcestershire) is another possibility with -ford shortened to -fitt and voicing of medial /f/ but no evidence has been found to substantiate it.

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


Similar surnames: Davitt, Cavitt, Mcdevitt, Devine, Savitt, Nevitt, Devino, Devins

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Where is the Devitt family from?

You can see how Devitt families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Devitt family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Devitt families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 79 Devitt families living in Lancashire. This was about 25% of all the recorded Devitt's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Devitt families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Devitt 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 Devitt 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 Devitt. 40% of Devitt men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Devitt women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Devitt were Process Engraver and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Devitt | 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
    40%
  • Incapacitated
    18%
  • Park Butcher
    9%
  • Process Engraver
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
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What Devitt family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 35,000 census records available for the last name Devitt. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Devitt census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Devitt

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Devitt. 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 5,000 military records available for the last name Devitt. For the veterans among your Devitt ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Devitt lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Devitt life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Devitt in 1945 was 47, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Devitt

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