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Durban Family History

Durban Name Meaning

English (Somerset): variant of Thorburn . It has no connection with the French surname (and placename) Durban (see 3 below). Compare Durbin . German: from the personal name Urban the initial D- having been acquired by a misdivision of Sankt Urban ‘Saint Urban’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace). French (southern) and Catalan; Spanish (Durbán): habitational name from any of various places called Durban in Ariège Aude Gers and Barcelona presumably of Celtic origin.

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


Similar surnames: Urban, Durbin, Durben, Duran, Turman, Duba, Durand, Duron, Dorman

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Durban family from?

You can see how Durban families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Durban family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Durban families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 48 Durban families living in London. This was about 27% of all the recorded Durban's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Durban families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Durban 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 Durban 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 Durban. 24% of Durban men worked as a General Labourer and 92% of Durban women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Durban were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Durban | 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
    24%
  • Railway Porter
    16%
  • School Attendance Officer
    16%
  • Builders Labourer
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    92%
  • Dressmaker
    3%
  • Domestic
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Durban family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Durban. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Durban census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Durban

Passenger Lists

There are 716 immigration records available for the last name Durban. 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.

View all Durban immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Durban military records

You've only scratched the surface of Durban family history

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What is the average Durban lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, Durban life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Durban in 1964 was 54, and 78 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Durban

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