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Raferty Family History

Raferty 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: Rafferty, Laferty, Lafferty, Faherty, Halferty, Haverty, Raftery

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Raferty family from?

You can see how Raferty families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Raferty family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Raferty families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 11 Raferty families living in Staffordshire. This was about 55% of all the recorded Raferty's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Raferty families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Raferty 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 Raferty ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Raferty. 50% of Raferty men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Raferty women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Raferty were Assembler and Domestic.

View Census Data for Raferty | 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
    50%
  • Assembler
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    34%
  • Typist
    23%
  • Bookkeeper
    23%
  • Domestic
    23%

What Raferty family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Raferty. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Raferty census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Raferty

Passenger Lists

There are 551 immigration records available for the last name Raferty. 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 Raferty immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 278 military records available for the last name Raferty. For the veterans among your Raferty ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Raferty military records

You've only scratched the surface of Raferty family history

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What is the average Raferty lifespan?

Between 1972 and 1988, in the United States, Raferty life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Raferty in 1972 was 82, and 75 in 1988.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Raferty

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Raferty 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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