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Clegg Family History

Clegg Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from a place in Lancashire named Clegg from Old Norse kleggi ‘haystack’ originally the name of a nearby hill. Alternatively a nickname from Middle English clege and Older Scots cleg gleg ‘gadfly horsefly’ (Old Norse kleggi) presumably for an irritating person.

The name was taken to Ulster in the early 18th century.

Manx: variant of Clague which in Lancashire and Cumbria have occasionally been absorbed into Clegg.

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


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Where is the Clegg family from?

You can see how Clegg families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clegg family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clegg families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 5,878 Clegg families living in Lancashire. This was about 58% of all the recorded Clegg's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Clegg families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clegg 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 Clegg 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 Clegg. 7% of Clegg men worked as a General Labourer and 64% of Clegg women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clegg were Insurance Agent and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Clegg | 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
    7%
  • Cotton Weaver
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Insurance Agent
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    64%
  • Cotton Weaver
    4%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Clegg family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 190,000 census records available for the last name Clegg. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clegg census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Clegg

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Clegg. 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 Clegg immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Clegg. For the veterans among your Clegg ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clegg military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clegg family history

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What is the average Clegg lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Clegg life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Clegg in 1950 was 25, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clegg

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Clegg 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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