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Earl Family History

Earl Surname Meaning

English: nickname from Middle English e(o)rl ‘earl’ a traditional English title of nobility equivalent in rank to French and Norman Count.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Earl family from?

You can see how Earl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Earl family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Earl families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 712 Earl families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Earl's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Earl families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Earl 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 Earl 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 Earl. 8% of Earl men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Earl women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Earl were Farmer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Earl | 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
    8%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Farmer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Earl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 187,000 census records available for the last name Earl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Earl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Earl

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Earl. 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 Earl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 28,000 military records available for the last name Earl. For the veterans among your Earl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Earl military records

You've only scratched the surface of Earl family history

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What is the average Earl lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Earl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Earl in 1944 was 35, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Earl

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Earl 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Earl family tree

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