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Norfolk Family History

Norfolk Name Meaning

English: habitational name from the county of Norfolk in East Anglia so called from an Old English tribal name composed of the elements north ‘north’ + folc ‘people’ (in contrast to the sūthfolc of Suffolk).

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


Similar surnames: Norton, Norwood, Norrick, Nordholm, Norford, Norrell, Nordell

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 Norfolk family from?

You can see how Norfolk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Norfolk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Norfolk families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 261 Norfolk families living in Yorkshire. This was about 29% of all the recorded Norfolk's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Norfolk families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Norfolk surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Norfolk ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Norfolk. 10% of Norfolk men worked as a Bricklayer and 79% of Norfolk women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Norfolk were Farmer and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Norfolk | 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

  • Bricklayer
    10%
  • Retired
    10%
  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Farmer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Norfolk family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Norfolk. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Norfolk census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Norfolk

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Norfolk. 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 Norfolk immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Norfolk military records

You've only scratched the surface of Norfolk family history

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What is the average Norfolk lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Norfolk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Norfolk in 1957 was 53, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Norfolk

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Norfolk family tree

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