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Refner Family History

Refner 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: Reffner, Reiner, Renner, Regner, Resner, Redner, Hefner, Reyner

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Refner family from?

You can see how Refner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Refner family name was found in the USA between 1840 and 1920. The most Refner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 2 Refner families living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Refner's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Refner families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Refner 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 Refner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Housewife was the top reported job for people in the USA named Refner. 100% of Refner women worked as a Housewife.

View Census Data for Refner | 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 Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    100%

What Refner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 389 census records available for the last name Refner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Refner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Refner

Passenger Lists

There are 16 immigration records available for the last name Refner. 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 Refner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 61 military records available for the last name Refner. For the veterans among your Refner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Refner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Refner family history

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What is the average Refner lifespan?

Between 1971 and 2003, in the United States, Refner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Refner in 1971 was 76, and 87 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Refner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Refner 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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