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Bolger Family History

Bolger Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): occupational name for a leather worker from Old French boulgier, an agent derivative of Old French boulge ‘leather bag, wallet’ (Middle English bulge).

Irish (South Leinster): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Bolguidhir ‘descendant of Bolgodhar', a personal name composed of the elements bolg ‘belly’ + odhar ‘yellow, sallow’.

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


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Where is the Bolger family from?

You can see how Bolger families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bolger family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bolger families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 170 Bolger families living in Lancashire. This was about 54% of all the recorded Bolger's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Bolger families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bolger 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 Bolger ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bolger. 15% of Bolger men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Bolger women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bolger were Builders Labourer and Shorthand Typist.

View Census Data for Bolger | 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

  • General Labourer
    15%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    12%
  • Incapacitated
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • School Teacher
    3%
  • Shorthand Typist
    3%

What Bolger family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 36,000 census records available for the last name Bolger. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bolger census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bolger

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Bolger. 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 Bolger immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Bolger military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bolger family history

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What is the average Bolger lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Bolger life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Bolger in 1942 was 48, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bolger

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bolger 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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