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Pembroke Family History

Pembroke Name Meaning

English and Irish: habitational name from Pembroke (Welsh Penfro from Welsh pen ‘end’ + brog ‘land’) in southwest Wales. Pembroke Castle was of strategic importance in medieval and Tudor times because of its commanding position at the western end of the Bristol Channel and its control of seaborne traffic between Britain and the south of Ireland. It was from Pembroke that Richard de Clare Earl of Pembroke nicknamed ‘Strongbow’ launched an expedition to Wexford in 1169–70 which brought many English and Welsh surnames to Ireland.

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


Similar surnames: Penrose, Nemeroff, Perron, Ambrose, Dembo, Ambroz, Pember, Debroux

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Where is the Pembroke family from?

You can see how Pembroke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pembroke family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pembroke families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 96 Pembroke families living in London. This was about 34% of all the recorded Pembroke's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Pembroke families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pembroke 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 Pembroke 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 Pembroke. 20% of Pembroke men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Pembroke women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pembroke were Pawnbroker Retired and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Pembroke | 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
    20%
  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Motor Engineer
    10%
  • Pawnbroker Retired
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Pembroke family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Pembroke

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Pembroke. 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 Pembroke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Pembroke. For the veterans among your Pembroke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pembroke military records

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What is the average Pembroke lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Pembroke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Pembroke in 1954 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pembroke

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