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Varela Family History

Varela Surname Meaning

Galician: habitational name from any of the places in Galicia (Spain) named Varela from a diminutive of vara ‘rod stick’.

Compare Barela, Barella, and Varella.

Greek: feminine (and possibly also American shortened) form of Varelas.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Varela family from?

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

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Varela. 44% of Varela men worked as a Laborer and 19% of Varela women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Varela were Labor and Clerk.

View Census Data for Varela | 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
    44%
  • Labrador
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%
  • Labor
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    19%
  • New Worker
    15%
  • Operator
    15%
  • Clerk
    12%

What Varela family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Varela. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Varela census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Varela

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Varela. 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 Varela immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Varela. For the veterans among your Varela ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Varela military records

You've only scratched the surface of Varela family history

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What is the average Varela lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Varela life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Varela in 1942 was 44, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Varela

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Varela 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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