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Telfer Family History

Telfer Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): nickname from Old French taille ‘cut’ + fer ‘iron’ perhaps for a strong man or ferocious warrior. The nickname was also used as an Anglo-Norman personal name.

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


Similar surnames: Teller, Elter, Deller, Tedder, Telford, Tenner, Defer, Kelner, Belfer

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Telfer family from?

You can see how Telfer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Telfer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Telfer families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 186 Telfer families living in Northumberland. This was about 27% of all the recorded Telfer's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Telfer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Telfer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Telfer 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 Telfer. 18% of Telfer men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Telfer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Telfer were Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duti. .

View Census Data for Telfer | 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
    18%
  • Shepherd
    14%
  • Railway Clerk
    6%
  • Farmer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Telfer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Telfer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Telfer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Telfer

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Telfer. 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 Telfer immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Telfer military records

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What is the average Telfer lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Telfer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Telfer in 1955 was 49, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Telfer

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