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Colgate Family History

Colgate Surname Meaning

English (Kent): habitational name from Colgates in Kent named with Old English col ‘charcoal’ + geat ‘gate’

indicating a gate leading into woodland where charcoal was burned.

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 Colgate family from?

You can see how Colgate families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Colgate family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Colgate families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 71 Colgate families living in Kent. This was about 30% of all the recorded Colgate's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Colgate families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Colgate 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 Colgate ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Colgate. 23% of Colgate men worked as a Builders Labourer and 86% of Colgate women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Colgate were Bricklayer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Colgate | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    23%
  • General Labourer
    14%
  • Bakers Roundsman
    14%
  • Bricklayer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dui
    3%
  • Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Colgate family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Colgate. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Colgate census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Colgate

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Colgate. For the veterans among your Colgate ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Colgate military records

You've only scratched the surface of Colgate family history

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What is the average Colgate lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Colgate life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Colgate in 1950 was 40, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Colgate

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Colgate 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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