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Dewitt Family History

Dewitt Surname Meaning

Variant pronunciation of Devitt a name well evidenced in Nether Whitacre and Nuneaton (Warwicks) and in Bedford (Beds). Occasionally an anglicization of De Witt ‘the white(-haired) fair or pale-skinned one’ from Middle Dutch witte + the definite article de.

The 1820 bearer below might be related to one or more of Ann Deuitt 1699, Jacobi Dewitt 1760, Thomas Henry Devitt 1814, and Mary Devett 1821 in IGI (Saint Botolph without Aldgate London).

However, these bearers have been treated as examples of Irish or English Devitt.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Dewitt family from?

You can see how Dewitt families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dewitt family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dewitt families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 42 Dewitt families living in Lancashire. This was about 16% of all the recorded Dewitt's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Dewitt families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dewitt 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 Dewitt ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Contractors Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dewitt. 100% of Dewitt men worked as a Contractors Labourer and 100% of Dewitt women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dewitt | 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

  • Contractors Labourer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Dewitt family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 99,000 census records available for the last name Dewitt. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dewitt census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dewitt

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Dewitt. 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 Dewitt immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Dewitt. For the veterans among your Dewitt ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dewitt military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dewitt family history

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What is the average Dewitt lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Dewitt life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Dewitt in 1942 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dewitt

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dewitt 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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