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Berkel Family History

Berkel Surname Meaning

Dutch (mainly Van Berkel) and German: habitational name from any of the villages so called in North Brabant and South Holland or from Berkel in Hamelin in Lower Saxony Germany.

The placename is derived from berk ‘birch’ and lo ‘open space in a wood’.

Compare Barkley, Pirkle, and Pirtle.

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 Berkel family from?

You can see how Berkel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Berkel family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Berkel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 6 Berkel families living in London. This was about 67% of all the recorded Berkel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Berkel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Berkel 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 Berkel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Berkel. 20% of Berkel men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Berkel women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Berkel were Salesman and Housewife.

View Census Data for Berkel | 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
    20%
  • Tinner
    10%
  • Truck Driver
    10%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    20%
  • Maid
    15%
  • Clerk
    15%
  • Housewife
    10%

What Berkel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Berkel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Berkel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Berkel

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Berkel. 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 Berkel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 717 military records available for the last name Berkel. For the veterans among your Berkel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Berkel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Berkel family history

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What is the average Berkel lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Berkel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Berkel in 1955 was 62, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Berkel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Berkel 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Berkel family tree

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