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Rafferty Family History

Rafferty Name Meaning

Irish (Tyrone and Armagh): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Rabhartaigh (earlier spelling Ó Raithbheartaigh) ‘descendant of Rabhartach’ a personal name meaning ‘flood tide’ hence ‘abundance prosperity’. Compare McGroarty .

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


Similar surnames: Lafferty, Halferty, Faherty, Cafferty, Raftery, Haverty, Haggerty

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Rafferty family from?

You can see how Rafferty families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rafferty family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rafferty families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 445 Rafferty families living in Lancashire. This was about 42% of all the recorded Rafferty's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Rafferty families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rafferty surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Rafferty 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 Rafferty. 23% of Rafferty men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Rafferty women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rafferty were Labourer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Rafferty | 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
    23%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Colliery Hewer
    7%
  • Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rafferty family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 71,000 census records available for the last name Rafferty. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rafferty census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rafferty

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Rafferty. 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 Rafferty immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Rafferty. For the veterans among your Rafferty ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rafferty military records

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What is the average Rafferty lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Rafferty life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Rafferty in 1942 was 33, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rafferty

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