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Karp Family History

Karp Surname Meaning

German, Polish, and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): from Middle High German karp(f)e, Middle Low German karpe, or Slavic (Russian and Polish) and Yiddish karp ‘carp’. Hence, a metonymic occupational name for a carp fisherman or seller of these fish, or a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish.

As a Jewish surname, it is often artificial. Polish, Ukrainian, and German: from the personal name Karp, a shortened vernacular form of Latin Polycarpus, Greek Polykarpos ‘fruitful’ (see Polycarpe).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Karp family from?

You can see how Karp families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Karp family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Karp families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 13 Karp families living in Yorkshire. This was about 36% of all the recorded Karp's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Karp families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Karp 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 Karp ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Karp. 100% of Karp women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Karp | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Karp family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 20,000 census records available for the last name Karp. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Karp census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Karp

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Karp. 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 Karp immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Karp. For the veterans among your Karp ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Karp military records

You've only scratched the surface of Karp family history

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What is the average Karp lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Karp life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Karp in 1942 was 38, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Karp

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Karp 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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