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Canfer Family History

Canfer Surname Meaning

From a reduced form of an earlier surname Canforth, the name originates from a lost or unidentified place in East Anglia.

It is apparently named with Old English ford, which means ‘shallow place by which water can be crossed.’

The final element of the name suggests a geographical feature that was significant at the time.

The use of such terms in surnames often reflects the landscape and its influence on people's lives.

Understanding the etymology of names can provide insights into historical settlement patterns and cultural connections.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


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Where is the Canfer family from?

You can see how Canfer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Canfer family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Canfer families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 4 Canfer families living in Suffolk. This was 100% of all the recorded Canfer's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Canfer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Canfer 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 Canfer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Horseman On Farm and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Canfer. 100% of Canfer men worked as a Horseman On Farm and 100% of Canfer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Canfer | 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

  • Horseman On Farm
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Canfer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Canfer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Canfer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Canfer

Passenger Lists

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Canfer. 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 Canfer immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Canfer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Canfer family history

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What is the average Canfer lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Canfer 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.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Canfer

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