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Firkins Family History

Firkins Surname Meaning

English (West Midlands): patronymic from Firkin, a metonymic occupational name for a cooper or beer seller or perhaps for a heavy drinker.

From Middle English fir(de)kin ‘wooden cask; quarter of a barrel (as a measure of capacity)’, probably from a Middle Dutch diminutive of vierde ‘fourth (part)’.

As a measure of capacity, a firkin was reckoned as a quarter of a barrel.

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


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Where is the Firkins family from?

You can see how Firkins families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Firkins family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Firkins families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 103 Firkins families living in Worcestershire. This was about 36% of all the recorded Firkins's in United Kingdom. Worcestershire had the highest population of Firkins families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Firkins 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 Firkins ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Firkins. 25% of Firkins men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 80% of Firkins women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Firkins were Builders Labourer and House Duties.

View Census Data for Firkins | 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

  • Dairy Farmer
    25%
  • Chimney Sweep
    25%
  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Builders Labourer
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • House Duties
    3%

What Firkins family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Firkins. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Firkins census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Firkins

Passenger Lists

There are 474 immigration records available for the last name Firkins. 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 Firkins immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 635 military records available for the last name Firkins. For the veterans among your Firkins ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Firkins military records

You've only scratched the surface of Firkins family history

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What is the average Firkins lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Firkins life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Firkins in 1963 was 75, and 67 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Firkins

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Firkins 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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