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Purpus Family History

Purpus 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: Purpura, Prus, Purvis, Bumpus, Corpus, Burrus, Purple, Surfus, Preus

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purpus family from?

You can see how Purpus families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purpus family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Purpus families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Purpus families living in Devon. This was about 50% of all the recorded Purpus's in United Kingdom. Devon and 1 other county had the highest population of Purpus families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purpus 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 Purpus ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman was the top reported job for people in the USA named Purpus. 34% of Purpus men worked as a Salesman.

View Census Data for Purpus | 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

  • Salesman
    34%
  • Teacher
    23%
  • Clerk
    23%
  • Attorney
    23%

What Purpus family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 697 census records available for the last name Purpus. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purpus census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Purpus

Passenger Lists

There are 89 immigration records available for the last name Purpus. 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 Purpus immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 217 military records available for the last name Purpus. For the veterans among your Purpus ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purpus military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purpus family history

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What is the average Purpus lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Purpus life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Purpus in 1965 was 93, and 45 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purpus

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purpus 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Purpus family tree

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