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Purbes Family History

Purbes 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: Turbes, Purves, Forbes, Purser, Purvis, Peres, Furber, Perkes, Pries

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purbes family from?

You can see how Purbes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purbes family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Purbes families were found in USA in 1920, and Scotland in 1851. In 1851 there was 1 Purbes family living in Midlothian. This was 100% of all the recorded Purbes's in Scotland. Midlothian had the highest population of Purbes families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purbes 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 Purbes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25 census records available for the last name Purbes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purbes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Purbes

Passenger Lists

There are 6 immigration records available for the last name Purbes. 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 Purbes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2 military records available for the last name Purbes. For the veterans among your Purbes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purbes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purbes family history

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What is the average Purbes lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purbes 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.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purbes

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