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Kettering Family History

Kettering Surname Meaning

German: variant of Kettenring a habitational name from a not yet located place in Rhineland named so or alternatively a cognate of Kettermann (see Ketterman). The surname Kettering is also found in the Netherlands. Compare Catron Cattron Ketring and Ketron.

English: habitational name from Kettering in Northamptonshire. The placename probably derives from an Old English personal name Cytra + the Old English group-name suffix -ingas. This surname is rare in Britain.

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


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Where is the Kettering family from?

You can see how Kettering families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kettering family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Kettering families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 6 Kettering families living in Sussex. This was about 50% of all the recorded Kettering's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Kettering families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kettering 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 Kettering ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kettering. 20% of Kettering men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Kettering women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kettering were Manager and Seamstress.

View Census Data for Kettering | 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
    20%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Manager
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    14%
  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Clerk
    12%
  • Seamstress
    10%

What Kettering family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Kettering. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kettering census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kettering

Passenger Lists

There are 502 immigration records available for the last name Kettering. 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 Kettering immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Kettering military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kettering family history

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What is the average Kettering lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Kettering life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kettering in 1949 was 53, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kettering

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kettering 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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