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Purke Family History

Purke 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: Burke, Punke, Purse, Parke, Purkey, Purk, Purks, Turke, Pike, Turk

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purke family from?

You can see how Purke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purke family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1891 and 1920. The most Purke families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Purke family living in Essex. This was about 50% of all the recorded Purke's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Purke families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purke 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 Purke ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Purke. 100% of Purke men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Purke | 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

  • Laborer
    100%

What Purke family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 443 census records available for the last name Purke. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purke census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Purke

Passenger Lists

There are 104 immigration records available for the last name Purke. 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 Purke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 48 military records available for the last name Purke. For the veterans among your Purke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purke military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purke family history

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What is the average Purke lifespan?

Between 1971 and 2000, in the United States, Purke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1983, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Purke in 1971 was 80, and 62 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purke

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purke 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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