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Graff Family History

Graff Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) (also Gräff): variant of Graf. Compare Graeff. English (London): metonymic occupational name for a clerk or scribe from Old French grafe ‘stylus pencil’ a derivative of Old French grafer ‘to write’ (from Late Latin grafare from Greek graphein).

It is uncertain whether the English name survived the medieval period or whether the early 17th century bearers in Britain were in fact of German origin.

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 Graff family from?

You can see how Graff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Graff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Graff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 43 Graff families living in London. This was about 63% of all the recorded Graff's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Graff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Graff 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 Graff ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Motor Driver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Graff. 25% of Graff men worked as a Motor Driver and 84% of Graff women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Graff were Gents Tailor and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Graff | 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

  • Motor Driver
    25%
  • Civil Servant Ministry Of Labou National Service Dept
    25%
  • Motor Engineer Retired
    25%
  • Gents Tailor
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Governess(retired)
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    6%

What Graff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 77,000 census records available for the last name Graff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Graff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Graff

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Graff. 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 Graff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Graff. For the veterans among your Graff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Graff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Graff family history

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What is the average Graff lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Graff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Graff in 1943 was 41, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Graff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Graff 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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