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Barnum Family History

Barnum Surname Meaning

Altered form of English Barnham: habitational name from any of the places called Barnham in Suffolk and West Sussex or Barnham Broom in Norfolk, all of which were named with the male personal name Beorn or Beorna + Old English hām ‘homestead’.

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 Barnum family from?

You can see how Barnum families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barnum family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barnum families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 5 Barnum families living in London. This was about 71% of all the recorded Barnum's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Barnum families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barnum 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 Barnum ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Barnum. 17% of Barnum men worked as a Farmer and 10% of Barnum women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barnum were Truck Driver and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Barnum | 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
    17%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Truck Driver
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    6%

What Barnum family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 42,000 census records available for the last name Barnum. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barnum census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Barnum

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Barnum. 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 Barnum immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Barnum. For the veterans among your Barnum ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barnum military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barnum family history

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What is the average Barnum lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Barnum life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Barnum in 1945 was 43, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barnum

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Barnum 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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