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Malham Family History

Malham Surname Meaning

English (mainly Yorkshire):: habitational name from Malham (Yorkshire) traditionally pronounced [maləm] or [mɔ:m]. The placename appears to derive from malgum, a word of uncertain origin and meaning, perhaps a dative plural form of Old Norse malgr ‘stony place’ or a dative plural form of Old Norse malr ‘sack bag’ used in the sense ‘pit hollow’.

Alternatively, it could be a habitational name from Malham Farm in Wisborough Green (Sussex), which is probably derived from Old English mǣl ‘cross’ + hām ‘village homestead’ or hamm ‘enclosure water meadow’.

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


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Where is the Malham family from?

You can see how Malham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Malham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Malham families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 15 Malham families living in Yorkshire. This was about 30% of all the recorded Malham's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Malham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Malham 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 Malham 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 Malham. 60% of Malham men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Malham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Malham were Labourer Seed Crushing and Bank Clerk.

View Census Data for Malham | 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
    60%
  • Labourer Seed Crushing
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Bank Clerk
    6%

What Malham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Malham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Malham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Malham

Passenger Lists

There are 208 immigration records available for the last name Malham. 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 Malham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 227 military records available for the last name Malham. For the veterans among your Malham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Malham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Malham family history

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What is the average Malham lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2002, in the United States, Malham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Malham in 1959 was 59, and 78 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Malham

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Malham 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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