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Anker Family History

Anker Surname Meaning

German and Dutch: from Middle High German and Middle Dutch anker ‘anchor’ applied either as an occupational name for a smith who made ships' anchors or as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house identified by the sign of an anchor.

Swedish and Norwegian (of Swedish origin): soldier's name meaning ‘anchor’. Danish: from a personal name of which the first element means ‘eagle’ and the second (probably) ‘violent’.

English: from the Old Norman French personal name Anker Old French Anchier.

Its source is the ancient Germanic name Anskari, a variant of Ansgari.

Compare Anchor.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Anker family from?

You can see how Anker families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Anker family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Anker families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 63 Anker families living in Cambridgeshire. This was about 19% of all the recorded Anker's in United Kingdom. Cambridgeshire had the highest population of Anker families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Anker 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 Anker ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Anker. 13% of Anker men worked as a Farm Labourer and 72% of Anker women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Anker were Railway Clerk and Chambermaid.

View Census Data for Anker | 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

  • Farm Labourer
    13%
  • Gardener
    10%
  • Carpenter
    10%
  • Railway Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Chambermaid
    2%

What Anker family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Anker. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Anker census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Anker

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Anker. 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 Anker immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Anker military records

You've only scratched the surface of Anker family history

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What is the average Anker lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Anker life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Anker in 1952 was 58, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Anker

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Anker ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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