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Polkow Family History

Polkow 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: Wolkow, Volkov, Polk, Polka, Pankow, Palko, Solow, Rockow, Pellow

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Polkow family from?

You can see how Polkow families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Polkow family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Polkow families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 5 Polkow families living in Wiltshire. This was about 63% of all the recorded Polkow's in United Kingdom. Wiltshire had the highest population of Polkow families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Polkow 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 Polkow ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Truck Driver and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Polkow. 34% of Polkow men worked as a Truck Driver and 43% of Polkow women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Polkow were Farmer and Janitress.

View Census Data for Polkow | 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

  • Truck Driver
    34%
  • Attendant
    14%
  • Janitor
    14%
  • Farmer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    43%
  • Housewife
    29%
  • Janitress
    29%

What Polkow family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 836 census records available for the last name Polkow. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Polkow census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Polkow

Passenger Lists

There are 114 immigration records available for the last name Polkow. 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 Polkow immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 199 military records available for the last name Polkow. For the veterans among your Polkow ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Polkow military records

You've only scratched the surface of Polkow family history

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What is the average Polkow lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2002, in the United States, Polkow life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Polkow in 1958 was 49, and 71 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Polkow

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Polkow 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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