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Gerken Family History

Gerken Surname Meaning

North German: patronymic from Gerke.

English (Middlesex): from a short form of a Middle English personal name such as Gerald or Gerard + the diminutive suffix kin.

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 Gerken family from?

You can see how Gerken families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gerken family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gerken families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 32 Gerken families living in London. This was about 46% of all the recorded Gerken's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Gerken families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gerken 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 Gerken 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 Gerken. 100% of Gerken men worked as a General Labourer and 100% of Gerken women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Gerken | 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
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Gerken family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Gerken. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gerken census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gerken

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Gerken. 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 Gerken immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Gerken. For the veterans among your Gerken ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gerken military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gerken family history

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What is the average Gerken lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Gerken life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1961. The average life expectancy for Gerken in 1949 was 38, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gerken

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gerken 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 Gerken family tree

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