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Putnan Family History

Putnan 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: Putman, Putnam, Guinan, Gutman, Butman, Outman, Putney, Rutman

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Putnan family from?

You can see how Putnan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Putnan family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Putnan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 2 Putnan families living in Massachusetts. This was about 40% of all the recorded Putnan's in USA. Massachusetts and 1 other state had the highest population of Putnan families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Putnan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Putnan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Putnan. 33% of Putnan men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Putnan women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Putnan were Farm Laborer and Clerk.

View Census Data for Putnan | 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

  • Farmer
    33%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    22%
  • Housework
    18%
  • Housekeeper
    18%
  • Clerk
    9%

What Putnan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Putnan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Putnan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Putnan

Passenger Lists

There are 204 immigration records available for the last name Putnan. 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 Putnan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 207 military records available for the last name Putnan. For the veterans among your Putnan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Putnan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Putnan family history

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What is the average Putnan lifespan?

Average Putnan life expectancy in 1976 was 90 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 70.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Putnan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Putnan 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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