Kerr Family History

Kerr Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: topographic name for someone who lived by a marsh or swampy woodland Middle English kerr ‘brushwood wet ground’ (Old Norse kjarr). A legend grew up that the Kerrs were left-handed on theory that the name is derived from Gaelic cearr ‘wrong-handed left-handed’.

Irish: variant of Carr. Americanized form of German Kehr or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname.

Scottish: shortened form of Gaelic Mac Gille Chéir ‘son of the dusky lad’ formerly Anglicized in Arran as McGilker.

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

Similar surnames: Kern, Kehr, Herr, Kirk, Kear, Merry, Burr, Kerl, Keer, Ker

590K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
81K	Military Records
116K	Immigration Records
574K	Census and Voter Lists
1M	Member Trees

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Where is the Kerr family from?

You can see how Kerr families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kerr family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kerr families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 945 Kerr families living in Lancashire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Kerr's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Kerr families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kerr surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Kerr

What did your Kerr 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 Kerr. 10% of Kerr men worked as a General labourer and 67% of Kerr women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kerr were Unpaid domestic duties and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Kerr

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.

General labourer

10%

Builders labourer

Wood machinist

Unpaid domestic duties

67%

Private means

Unpaid domestic

Incapacitated

What Kerr family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 574K census records available for the last name Kerr. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kerr census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kerr

Passenger List

There are 116K immigration records available for the last name Kerr. 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 Kerr immigration records

Military Records

There are 81K military records available for the last name Kerr. For the veterans among your Kerr ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kerr military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kerr family history

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What is the average Kerr lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Kerr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Kerr in 1941 was 45, and 77 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kerr family tree

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Kerr Surname Meaning

Irish: variant of Carr. Americanized form of German Kehr or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname.

Scottish: shortened form of Gaelic Mac Gille Chéir ‘son of the dusky lad’ formerly Anglicized in Arran as McGilker.

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

Where is the Kerr family from?

What did your Kerr ancestors do for a living?

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.

General labourer

10%

Builders labourer

Wood machinist

Unpaid domestic duties

67%

Private means

Unpaid domestic

Incapacitated

What Kerr family records will you find?

What is the average Kerr lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Kerr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Kerr in 1941 was 45, and 77 in 2004.

Kerr Family History

Kerr Surname Meaning

2 million record(s) for Kerr

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

Where is the Kerr family from?

What did your Kerr ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Kerr family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Kerr family history

What is the average Kerr lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kerr family tree

Search for another surname

Kerr Surname Meaning

2 million record(s) for Kerr

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

Where is the Kerr family from?

What did your Kerr ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Kerr family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Kerr family history

What is the average Kerr lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kerr family tree

Search for another surname