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Clapp Family History

Clapp Surname Meaning

English (Devon and Somerset): either from Middle English clop(pe) clap(pe) ‘lump’ perhaps denoting a stocky person or Middle English clap(pe) ‘loud noise; noisy idle chatter’.

Americanized form of German Klapp. In some cases also an Americanized form of Slovenian Klep: nickname from klep ‘sharpness of scythe or sickle’.

Also meaning ‘sharpening with a hammer’.

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


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Where is the Clapp family from?

You can see how Clapp families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clapp family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clapp families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 334 Clapp families living in Devon. This was about 27% of all the recorded Clapp's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Clapp families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clapp 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 Clapp 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 Clapp. 14% of Clapp men worked as a Farmer and 72% of Clapp women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clapp were Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Clapp | 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
    14%
  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Painters Labourer
    6%
  • Gardener
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    3%

What Clapp family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 98,000 census records available for the last name Clapp. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clapp census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Clapp

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Clapp. 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 Clapp immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 military records available for the last name Clapp. For the veterans among your Clapp ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clapp military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clapp family history

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What is the average Clapp lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Clapp life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Clapp in 1944 was 28, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clapp

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Clapp 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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