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Cleff Family History

Cleff Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Cliff, Cheff, Leff, Cluff, Cleek, Leaf, Cuff, Neff, Clear, Reff

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cleff family from?

You can see how Cleff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cleff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Cleff families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 154 Cleff families living in Lancashire. This was about 57% of all the recorded Cleff's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Cleff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cleff 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 Cleff ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Cleff. 72% of Cleff women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Cleff | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic Du
    29%

What Cleff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Cleff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cleff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cleff

Passenger Lists

There are 580 immigration records available for the last name Cleff. 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 Cleff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 323 military records available for the last name Cleff. For the veterans among your Cleff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cleff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cleff family history

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What is the average Cleff lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Cleff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Cleff in 1959 was 58, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cleff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cleff 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Cleff family tree

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