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Ratzlaff Family History

Ratzlaff Surname Meaning

German (Pomerania; of Slavic origin): from a Germanized form of the Old Slavic personal name Ratislav based on the element rat ‘battle’ (from Old Slavic ratь).

Alternatively, it may derive from Radoslav based on the element rad ‘merry, glad’ (from Old Slavic radъ).

The second element slav means ‘glory’ or ‘famous’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Ratzlaff family from?

You can see how Ratzlaff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ratzlaff family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ratzlaff families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Ratzlaff family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Ratzlaff's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ratzlaff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ratzlaff 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 Ratzlaff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ratzlaff. 40% of Ratzlaff men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Ratzlaff women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ratzlaff were Farm Laborer and Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Ratzlaff | 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
    40%
  • Laborer
    21%
  • Farming
    4%
  • Farm Laborer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    14%
  • Clerk
    12%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Bookkeeper
    7%

What Ratzlaff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Ratzlaff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ratzlaff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ratzlaff

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Ratzlaff. 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 Ratzlaff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 899 military records available for the last name Ratzlaff. For the veterans among your Ratzlaff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ratzlaff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ratzlaff family history

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What is the average Ratzlaff lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Ratzlaff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Ratzlaff in 1959 was 61, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ratzlaff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ratzlaff 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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