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Berks Family History

Berks Surname Meaning

English (Staffordshire): variant of Birks. North German: variant of Berkes.

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 Berks family from?

You can see how Berks families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Berks family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Berks families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 130 Berks families living in Staffordshire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Berks's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Berks families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Berks 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 Berks ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Berks. 28% of Berks men worked as a Farmer and 75% of Berks women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Berks were Retired and Housewife.

View Census Data for Berks | 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

  • Farmer
    28%
  • Blind
    19%
  • Newsagent
    19%
  • Retired
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    8%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    6%
  • Housewife
    5%

What Berks family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Berks. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Berks census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Berks

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Berks. For the veterans among your Berks ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Berks military records

You've only scratched the surface of Berks family history

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What is the average Berks lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Berks life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Berks in 1957 was 52, and 95 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Berks

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Berks 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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