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Defoe Family History

Defoe Surname Meaning

Anglicized form of Swiss French Thévoz: from a pet form of the personal name Etève, a French dialect equivalent of Latin Stephanus (see Stephen Etienne).

Compare Dafoe and Devoe. English: variant of Foe 2 and English (of French Huguenot origin): Anglicized form of French Dufau or Devaux.

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 Defoe family from?

You can see how Defoe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Defoe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Defoe families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 12 Defoe families living in London. This was about 46% of all the recorded Defoe's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Defoe families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Defoe 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 Defoe ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Stevedores Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Defoe. 100% of Defoe men worked as a Stevedores Labourer and 84% of Defoe women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Defoe | 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

  • Stevedores Labourer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Laundry Hand
    17%

What Defoe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Defoe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Defoe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Defoe

Passenger Lists

There are 581 immigration records available for the last name Defoe. 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 Defoe immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Defoe military records

You've only scratched the surface of Defoe family history

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What is the average Defoe lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Defoe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Defoe in 1955 was 23, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Defoe

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Defoe 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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