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Flett Family History

Flett Surname Meaning

Scottish: probably a habitational name from a place in the parish of Delting Shetland named with an Old Norse term denoting a strip of arable land or pasture.

On the other hand it may be from the Old Norse byname Fljótr ‘swift, speedy’. Compare Fleet.

The surname is now most common in Banffshire and Orkney.

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


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Where is the Flett family from?

You can see how Flett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Flett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Flett families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 61 Flett families living in Durham. This was about 21% of all the recorded Flett's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Flett families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Flett 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 Flett ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Flett. 37% of Flett men worked as a General Labourer and 81% of Flett women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Flett were Hairdresser and Shorthand Typist.

View Census Data for Flett | 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

  • General Labourer
    37%
  • Dock Labourer
    28%
  • Civil Engineer Contractor Agent Travelling
    19%
  • Hairdresser
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • House Duties
    2%
  • Shorthand Typist
    2%

What Flett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 35,000 census records available for the last name Flett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Flett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Flett

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Flett. 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 Flett immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Flett. For the veterans among your Flett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Flett military records

You've only scratched the surface of Flett family history

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What is the average Flett lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Flett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Flett in 1961 was 47, and 66 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Flett

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Flett 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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