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Gelt Family History

Gelt 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: Belt, Gent, Gell, Gelo, Gest, Felt, Geltz, Welt, Gerlt, Helt

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gelt family from?

You can see how Gelt families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gelt family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Gelt families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Gelt family living in Durham. This was 100% of all the recorded Gelt's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Gelt families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gelt 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 Gelt ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gelt. 36% of Gelt men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Gelt women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gelt were Lawyer and Salesgirl.

View Census Data for Gelt | 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

  • Laborer
    36%
  • Salesman
    22%
  • Proprietor
    15%
  • Lawyer
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    50%
  • Salesgirl
    50%

What Gelt family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 613 census records available for the last name Gelt. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gelt census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gelt

Passenger Lists

There are 136 immigration records available for the last name Gelt. 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 Gelt immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 100 military records available for the last name Gelt. For the veterans among your Gelt ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gelt military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gelt family history

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What is the average Gelt lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2004, in the United States, Gelt life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1989, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Gelt in 1967 was 64, and 59 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gelt

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gelt 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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