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Shifter Family History

Shifter 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: Stifter, Shafter, Shiffer, Schiffer, Hefter, Shorter, Shier, Shuster

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shifter family from?

You can see how Shifter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shifter family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Shifter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 11 Shifter families living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Shifter's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Shifter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shifter 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 Shifter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Miner and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shifter. 38% of Shifter men worked as a Miner and 43% of Shifter women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shifter were Farming and Maid.

View Census Data for Shifter | 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

  • Miner
    38%
  • Laborer
    38%
  • Farming
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    43%
  • Cook
    29%
  • Maid
    29%

What Shifter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 621 census records available for the last name Shifter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shifter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shifter

Passenger Lists

There are 61 immigration records available for the last name Shifter. 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 Shifter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 191 military records available for the last name Shifter. For the veterans among your Shifter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shifter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shifter family history

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What is the average Shifter lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Shifter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Shifter in 1963 was 69, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shifter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shifter 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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