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Cleave Family History

Cleave Surname Meaning

English (Devon and Cornwall): variant of Cliff.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cleave family from?

You can see how Cleave families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cleave family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cleave families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 303 Cleave families living in Devon. This was about 37% of all the recorded Cleave's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Cleave families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cleave 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 Cleave 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 Cleave. 29% of Cleave men worked as a Farmer and 71% of Cleave women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cleave were Retired Farmer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Cleave | 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
    29%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    7%
  • Farmer Heavy Worker
    6%
  • Retired Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Cleave family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Cleave. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cleave census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cleave

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Cleave. 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 Cleave immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Cleave military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cleave family history

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What is the average Cleave lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Cleave life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Cleave in 1964 was 86, and 54 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cleave

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cleave 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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