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Kunkel Family History

Kunkel Surname Meaning

German: from Middle High German kunkel ‘spindle distaff’ (from Late Latin conicula conucula diminutive of conus ‘cone peg’) hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of spindles or a spinner or alternatively a nickname for a tall thin person.

From a medieval German personal name a pet form of Kuno (see Kuhn).

Possibly from Low German kunkel ‘flood hole' or ‘deep water’ of uncertain application: perhaps a topographic name.

(Künkel): habitational name from a manor near Eisenach (Thuringia) or Erkelenz (Westphalia).

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


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Where is the Kunkel family from?

You can see how Kunkel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kunkel family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Kunkel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 3 Kunkel families living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Kunkel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Kunkel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kunkel 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 Kunkel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kunkel. 23% of Kunkel men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Kunkel women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kunkel were Carpenter and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Kunkel | 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
    23%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    7%

What Kunkel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Kunkel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kunkel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kunkel

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Kunkel. 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 Kunkel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Kunkel. For the veterans among your Kunkel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kunkel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kunkel family history

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What is the average Kunkel lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Kunkel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kunkel in 1943 was 34, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kunkel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kunkel 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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