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Malcolm Family History

Malcolm Surname Meaning

Scottish: from the Gaelic personal name Maol-Choluim ‘devotee of (Saint) Columba’. Irish (Ulster): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Maolcholuim ‘descendant of the devotee of Saint Columba’ (Irish Colum Cille literally ‘dove of the church’).

In Ireland the personal name is often spelled Colm; in Scotland it has become Calum.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Malcolm family from?

You can see how Malcolm families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Malcolm family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Malcolm families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 195 Malcolm families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Malcolm's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Malcolm families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Malcolm 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 Malcolm 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 Malcolm. 15% of Malcolm men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Malcolm women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Malcolm were Bank Clerk and Housewife.

View Census Data for Malcolm | 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
    15%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Plumber
    5%
  • Bank Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Malcolm family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 135,000 census records available for the last name Malcolm. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Malcolm census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Malcolm

Passenger Lists

There are 26,000 immigration records available for the last name Malcolm. 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 Malcolm immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 military records available for the last name Malcolm. For the veterans among your Malcolm ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Malcolm military records

You've only scratched the surface of Malcolm family history

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What is the average Malcolm lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Malcolm life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Malcolm in 1951 was 42, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Malcolm

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Malcolm 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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