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Binder Family History

Binder Surname Meaning

South German, Swiss German, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surnames include an occupational name for a cooper or barrel maker, deriving from the German (Fass)binder, which is an agent derivative of binden meaning ‘to bind’. Less often, the same term was also used to signify a bookbinder, analogous to the English name.

This surname is not only found in Germany but also in Denmark, France (Alsace and Lorraine), Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, and Slovenia. Variants and related surnames include Boettcher, Buettner, Pinter, and Schaeffler.

In German, the surname can be considered a variant of Bunde. In English, it is recognized as an occupational name derived from Middle English binder, which translates to ‘binder’ (from Old English bindere), likely representing a bookbinder.

Overall, the surname illustrates the historical significance of occupations in the derivation of family names across various cultures and regions, particularly in relation to binding professions.

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


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Where is the Binder family from?

You can see how Binder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Binder family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Binder families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 76 Binder families living in London. This was about 22% of all the recorded Binder's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Binder families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Binder 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 Binder ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Binder. 20% of Binder men worked as a Farmer and 70% of Binder women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Binder were No Occupation and Cook.

View Census Data for Binder | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • Farmer
    20%
  • Farm Labourer
    15%
  • Gens Tailor (maste
    10%
  • No Occupation
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    4%
  • Cook
    4%

What Binder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 48,000 census records available for the last name Binder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Binder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Binder

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Binder. 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 Binder immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Binder. For the veterans among your Binder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Binder military records

You've only scratched the surface of Binder family history

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What is the average Binder lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Binder life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Binder in 1940 was 37, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Binder

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Binder 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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