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Clapham Family History

Clapham Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Clapham for example in Bedfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, Yorkshire, and Devon. The first three are named with Old English clopp(a) ‘lump, hillock’ + hām ‘homestead’ or hamm ‘enclosure hemmed in by water’ while the Yorkshire placename is formed with an Old English word clæpe ‘noisy stream’.

The Devon placename is early recorded as Clopton, formed with clopp(a) ‘lump, hillock’ + tūn ‘farmstead’.

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


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Where is the Clapham family from?

You can see how Clapham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clapham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clapham families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,217 Clapham families living in Yorkshire. This was about 46% of all the recorded Clapham's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Clapham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clapham 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 Clapham 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 Clapham. 11% of Clapham men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Clapham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clapham were Solicitor and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Clapham | 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
    11%
  • Joiner
    5%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%
  • Solicitor
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Clapham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 67,000 census records available for the last name Clapham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clapham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Clapham

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Clapham. 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 Clapham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Clapham. For the veterans among your Clapham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clapham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clapham family history

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What is the average Clapham lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Clapham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1967, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Clapham in 1963 was 73, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clapham

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Clapham 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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