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Gerling Family History

Gerling Surname Meaning

German: patronymic from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name beginning with the element gār gēr ‘spear lance’; compare Gerl.

English (Suffolk): from the Middle English personal name Gerling Girling.

It is related to ancient Germanic Gerlo Girlo and is likewise a pet form of ancient Germanic names in gār gēr ‘spear lance’.

Compare Gerard and Gerald.

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 Gerling family from?

You can see how Gerling families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gerling family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gerling families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 145 Gerling families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Gerling's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Gerling families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gerling 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 Gerling ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Retired and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gerling. 34% of Gerling men worked as a Retired and 91% of Gerling women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gerling were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Du.

View Census Data for Gerling | 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

  • Retired
    34%
  • Lorry Driver
    34%
  • Builders Labourer
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    91%
  • Domestic Duties Unpaid
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic Du
    5%

What Gerling family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Gerling. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gerling census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gerling

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Gerling. 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 Gerling immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Gerling. For the veterans among your Gerling ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gerling military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gerling family history

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What is the average Gerling lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Gerling life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Gerling in 1957 was 52, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gerling

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gerling 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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