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Bethea Family History

Bethea Surname Meaning

Possibly an altered form of Welsh Bethel.

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 Bethea family from?

You can see how Bethea families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bethea family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Bethea families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2 Bethea families living in Hertfordshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Bethea's in United Kingdom. Hertfordshire had the highest population of Bethea families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bethea 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 Bethea ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bethea. 25% of Bethea men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Bethea women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bethea were Salesman and Servant.

View Census Data for Bethea | 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
    25%
  • Farmer
    23%
  • Farm Laborer
    9%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    11%
  • Farm Laborer
    9%
  • Maid
    9%
  • Servant
    9%

What Bethea family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Bethea. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bethea census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bethea

Passenger Lists

There are 803 immigration records available for the last name Bethea. 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 Bethea immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Bethea. For the veterans among your Bethea ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bethea military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bethea family history

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What is the average Bethea lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bethea life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Bethea in 1940 was 36, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bethea

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bethea 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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