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Cleaves Family History

Cleaves Surname Meaning

English: variant of Cleave (see Cliff) with plural or post-medieval excrescent -s.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cleaves family from?

You can see how Cleaves families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cleaves family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cleaves families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 46 Cleaves families living in Somerset. This was about 17% of all the recorded Cleaves's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Cleaves families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cleaves 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 Cleaves 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 Cleaves. 25% of Cleaves men worked as a General Labourer and 83% of Cleaves women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cleaves were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Cleaves | 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
    25%
  • Coal Hewer
    19%
  • Colliery Hewer
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    9%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Cleaves family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Cleaves. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cleaves census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cleaves

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Cleaves. For the veterans among your Cleaves ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cleaves military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cleaves family history

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What is the average Cleaves lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Cleaves life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Cleaves in 1945 was 26, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cleaves

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cleaves 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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