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Wem Family History

Wem Surname Meaning

from Wem (Shrops) which is recorded as Weme and Wemme in medieval documents.

The place-name derives from Old English wemm ‘spot blemish filth’

probably meaning ‘filthy place’.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


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Where is the Wem family from?

You can see how Wem families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wem family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Wem families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 13 Wem families living in Shropshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Wem's in United Kingdom. Shropshire had the highest population of Wem families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wem 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 Wem ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Wem. 100% of Wem women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Wem | 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.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Wem family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Wem. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wem census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wem

Passenger Lists

There are 128 immigration records available for the last name Wem. 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 Wem immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Wem. For the veterans among your Wem ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wem military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wem family history

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What is the average Wem lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2002, in the United States, Wem life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1983, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Wem in 1957 was 50, and 67 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wem

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wem 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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