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Chaffer Family History

Chaffer Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): occupational name from Middle English chaffer(e) chaffare ‘traffic trade; merchandise wares’ (Old English cēapfaru) presumably denoting a dealer or merchant.

Alternatively the name may perhaps be a variant of Chafer an occupational name from Old French chauffour ‘limekiln worker at a limekiln’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Chaffer family from?

You can see how Chaffer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chaffer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chaffer families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 189 Chaffer families living in Yorkshire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Chaffer's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Chaffer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chaffer 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 Chaffer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cotton Weaver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Chaffer. 50% of Chaffer men worked as a Cotton Weaver and 71% of Chaffer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chaffer were Lorry Driver and Private Means.

View Census Data for Chaffer | 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

  • Cotton Weaver
    50%
  • Dairy Farmer
    25%
  • Lorry Driver
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • School Teacher
    4%
  • Private Means
    4%

What Chaffer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Chaffer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chaffer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chaffer

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Chaffer. For the veterans among your Chaffer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chaffer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chaffer family history

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What is the average Chaffer lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Chaffer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Chaffer in 1957 was 55, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chaffer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chaffer 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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