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Dryer Family History

Dryer Surname Meaning

English: occupational name from Middle English driere dreiere denoting someone who dried and bleached cloth; after cloth had been dyed and fulled it was then stretched out in tenterfields to dry.

The feminine form of the word dreyster was used also for men.

Altered form of German Dreier or Dreyer.

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


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Where is the Dryer family from?

You can see how Dryer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dryer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dryer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 48 Dryer families living in London. This was about 36% of all the recorded Dryer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Dryer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dryer 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 Dryer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Warehouseman and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dryer. 34% of Dryer men worked as a Warehouseman and 86% of Dryer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dryer were Electrical Fitter Heavy Worker and Retired.

View Census Data for Dryer | 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

  • Warehouseman
    34%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    34%
  • Electrical Fitter Heavy Worker
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Household Duties Unpaid
    4%
  • Retired
    4%

What Dryer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Dryer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dryer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dryer

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Dryer. 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 Dryer immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Dryer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dryer family history

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What is the average Dryer lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Dryer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Dryer in 1958 was 34, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dryer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dryer 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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