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Dorfer Family History

Dorfer Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Dormer, Dorer, Dorner, Porter, Dore, Horner, Corner, Confer, Dorney

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dorfer family from?

You can see how Dorfer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorfer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Dorfer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 4 Dorfer families living in Leicestershire. This was about 57% of all the recorded Dorfer's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Dorfer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorfer 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 Dorfer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dorfer. 27% of Dorfer men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Dorfer women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dorfer were Manager and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Dorfer | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    27%
  • Salesman
    20%
  • Carpenter
    14%
  • Manager
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    60%
  • Housekeeper
    40%

What Dorfer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Dorfer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorfer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dorfer

Passenger Lists

There are 395 immigration records available for the last name Dorfer. 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 Dorfer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Dorfer. For the veterans among your Dorfer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dorfer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dorfer family history

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What is the average Dorfer lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2003, in the United States, Dorfer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Dorfer in 1965 was 82, and 54 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorfer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dorfer 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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