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Desper Family History

Desper Surname Meaning

Altered form of English Dashper.

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 Desper family from?

You can see how Desper families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Desper family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Desper families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 18 Desper families living in London. This was about 35% of all the recorded Desper's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Desper families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Desper 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 Desper ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Desper. 26% of Desper men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Desper women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Desper were Carpenter and New Worker.

View Census Data for Desper | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    26%
  • Laborer
    26%
  • Truck Driver
    8%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Maid
    20%
  • Seamstress
    20%
  • New Worker
    14%

What Desper family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Desper. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Desper census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Desper

Passenger Lists

There are 112 immigration records available for the last name Desper. 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 Desper immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 833 military records available for the last name Desper. For the veterans among your Desper ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Desper military records

You've only scratched the surface of Desper family history

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What is the average Desper lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Desper life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Desper in 1951 was 44, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Desper

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Desper 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 Desper family tree

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