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Gradford Family History

Gradford 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: Radford, Bradford, Trafford, Galford, Crawford, Rayford, Cranford

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gradford family from?

You can see how Gradford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gradford family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Gradford families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Gradford family living in Essex. This was about 50% of all the recorded Gradford's in United Kingdom. Essex and 1 other county had the highest population of Gradford families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gradford 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 Gradford ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gradford. 41% of Gradford men worked as a Farmer and 37% of Gradford women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gradford were Carpenter and Housewife.

View Census Data for Gradford | 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
    41%
  • Laborer
    32%
  • Operator
    10%
  • Carpenter
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    37%
  • Maid
    28%
  • Stenographer
    19%
  • Housewife
    19%

What Gradford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 420 census records available for the last name Gradford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gradford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gradford

Passenger Lists

There are 39 immigration records available for the last name Gradford. 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 Gradford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 46 military records available for the last name Gradford. For the veterans among your Gradford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gradford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gradford family history

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What is the average Gradford lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Gradford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Gradford in 1962 was 77, and 62 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gradford

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gradford 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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