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Pelham Family History

Pelham Name Meaning

English (mainly Sussex): habitational name from Brent Pelham Furneux Pelham and Stocking Pelham in Hertfordshire so called from the Old English personal name Pēola + hām ‘homestead’. Compare Pellham .

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


Similar surnames: Perham, Mepham, Derham, Feltham, Elam, Popham, Denham, Benham, Dunham

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 Pelham family from?

You can see how Pelham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pelham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pelham families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 133 Pelham families living in Sussex. This was about 27% of all the recorded Pelham's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Pelham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pelham 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 Pelham 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 Pelham. 16% of Pelham men worked as a Bricklayer and 77% of Pelham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pelham were Gardener and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Pelham | 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
    16%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • General Labourer
    6%
  • Gardener
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Pelham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Pelham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pelham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pelham

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Pelham military records

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What is the average Pelham lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Pelham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Pelham in 1948 was 40, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pelham

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