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Delve Family History

Delve Surname Meaning

from Middle English delf delphe delve ‘pit quarry canal ditch’ denoting someone who lived by a pit quarry or excavation or in some instances a ditcher digger or quarrier (Middle English delver(er)); compare William le Deluer 1230 in Pipe Rolls (Somerset).

Lettice atte Delue 1357 cited below is probably to be associated with John Delvere 1359 in Colchester Court Rolls (Essex).

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


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Where is the Delve family from?

You can see how Delve families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Delve family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Delve families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 109 Delve families living in Devon. This was about 43% of all the recorded Delve's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Delve families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Delve 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 Delve ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Delve. 16% of Delve men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Delve women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Delve were Farmer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Delve | 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

  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Tailor
    12%
  • Builders Labourer
    12%
  • Farmer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Du
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Delve family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Delve. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Delve census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Delve

Passenger Lists

There are 585 immigration records available for the last name Delve. 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 Delve immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 343 military records available for the last name Delve. For the veterans among your Delve ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Delve military records

You've only scratched the surface of Delve family history

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What is the average Delve lifespan?

Between 1973 and 2001, in the United States, Delve life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Delve in 1973 was 84, and 84 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Delve

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Delve 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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