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Melsh Family History

Melsh Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Welsh, Mesh, Kelsh, Melis, Melin, Meis, Melle, Melia, Mech, Delph

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Melsh family from?

You can see how Melsh families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Melsh family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Melsh families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Melsh families living in Lancashire. This was about 60% of all the recorded Melsh's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Melsh families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Melsh 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 Melsh ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farming and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Melsh. 37% of Melsh men worked as a Farming and 50% of Melsh women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Melsh were Engineer and Clerk.

View Census Data for Melsh | 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

  • Farming
    37%
  • Laborer
    28%
  • Labor
    19%
  • Engineer
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    50%
  • Clerk
    50%

What Melsh family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 625 census records available for the last name Melsh. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Melsh census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Melsh

Passenger Lists

There are 83 immigration records available for the last name Melsh. 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 Melsh immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 76 military records available for the last name Melsh. For the veterans among your Melsh ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Melsh military records

You've only scratched the surface of Melsh family history

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What is the average Melsh lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2004, in the United States, Melsh life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Melsh in 1967 was 63, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Melsh

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Melsh 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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