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Cleveland Family History

Cleveland Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places in Devon, Essex, or the North Yorkshire, formed from the genitive plural (clifa) of Old English clif ‘bank, slope’ + land ‘land’.

Americanized form (and a rare Norwegian variant) of Norwegian Kleveland or its variant Kleiveland and also of Kleven or its variant Kleiven.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Cleveland family from?

You can see how Cleveland families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cleveland family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cleveland families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 126 Cleveland families living in London. This was about 21% of all the recorded Cleveland's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Cleveland families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cleveland 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 Cleveland 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 Cleveland. 19% of Cleveland men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Cleveland women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cleveland were Lorry Driver and Private Means.

View Census Data for Cleveland | 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
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    12%
  • Bricklayer
    10%
  • Lorry Driver
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Private Means
    4%

What Cleveland family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 156,000 census records available for the last name Cleveland. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cleveland census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cleveland

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Cleveland. 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 Cleveland immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 64,000 military records available for the last name Cleveland. For the veterans among your Cleveland ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cleveland military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cleveland family history

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What is the average Cleveland lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Cleveland life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Cleveland in 1940 was 29, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cleveland

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cleveland 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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