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Churchyard Family History

Churchyard Surname Meaning

For someone who lived by or looked after a churchyard, the term can be traced back to Middle English chirche- cherche- churche-yerd or -(y)ard, which originates from Old English *ciric- *cyric-geard.

In a deed of 1408-9 (Birmingham Archives), the Dean and the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Lichfield granted to John Chircheyerd of Arley a seventy-year lease of a plot of land.

This plot of land was called Le Chyrcheyerd, located opposite the cemetery of the parish church of Upper Arley, Worcs.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Churchyard family from?

You can see how Churchyard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Churchyard family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Churchyard families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 131 Churchyard families living in Suffolk. This was about 46% of all the recorded Churchyard's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Churchyard families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Churchyard 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 Churchyard 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 Churchyard. 27% of Churchyard men worked as a Farm Labourer and 77% of Churchyard women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Churchyard were Agricultural Labourer and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Churchyard | 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
    27%
  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Horseman On Farm
    12%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Domestic Duties
    6%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Household Duties
    4%

What Churchyard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Churchyard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Churchyard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Churchyard

Passenger Lists

There are 356 immigration records available for the last name Churchyard. 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 Churchyard immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 395 military records available for the last name Churchyard. For the veterans among your Churchyard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Churchyard military records

You've only scratched the surface of Churchyard family history

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What is the average Churchyard lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2002, in the United States, Churchyard life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Churchyard in 1968 was 95, and 86 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Churchyard

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Churchyard 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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