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Dearth Family History

Dearth Surname Meaning

English (Middlesex and Surrey): variant of Death with intrusive -r-. Death is derived from Middle English de(e)th and Old English dēath ‘death’ acquired by someone who had played the part of the personified figure of Death in a local pageant or play or else one who was habitually gloomy or sickly.

The intrusive -r- may have been a deliberate attempt to dissociate the name from death. Alternatively, the name may perhaps be a nickname from Middle English derth ‘famine, dearth, need’ (of uncertain application).

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


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Where is the Dearth family from?

You can see how Dearth families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dearth family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dearth families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 24 Dearth families living in London. This was about 63% of all the recorded Dearth's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Dearth families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dearth 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 Dearth ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Dearth. 88% of Dearth women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dearth | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    88%
  • Incapacitated
    13%

What Dearth family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Dearth

Passenger Lists

There are 479 immigration records available for the last name Dearth. 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 Dearth immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Dearth. For the veterans among your Dearth ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dearth military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dearth family history

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What is the average Dearth lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Dearth life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Dearth in 1949 was 39, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dearth

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dearth 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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