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Kett Family History

Kett Surname Meaning

German: topographic name for someone living near a water channel or water source from the Bavarian dialect word Kett ‘water channel spring’.

English (Norfolk): variant of Kite.

Irish (Munster): from Ó Ceit ‘descendant of Ceat’ a personal name of unexplained etymology.

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


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Where is the Kett family from?

You can see how Kett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kett families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 143 Kett families living in Norfolk. This was about 30% of all the recorded Kett's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Kett families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kett 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 Kett 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 Kett. 18% of Kett men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Kett women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kett were Bus Driver and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Kett | 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

  • General Labourer
    18%
  • Farm Labourer
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • Bus Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Kett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Kett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kett

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Kett. For the veterans among your Kett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kett military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kett family history

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What is the average Kett lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Kett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Kett in 1952 was 28, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kett

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kett 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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