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Folkner Family History

Folkner Surname Meaning

Americanized form of German Volkner or Völkner: derivative of the personal name Volk.

Possibly also an Americanized form of German Falkner.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Folkner family from?

You can see how Folkner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Folkner family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Folkner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Folkner families living in Leicestershire. This was about 44% of all the recorded Folkner's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Folkner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Folkner 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 Folkner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and School Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Folkner. 23% of Folkner men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Folkner women worked as a School Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Folkner were Labor and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Folkner | 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
    23%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Mechanic
    13%
  • Labor
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • School Teacher
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%

What Folkner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Folkner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Folkner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Folkner

Passenger Lists

There are 122 immigration records available for the last name Folkner. 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 Folkner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 644 military records available for the last name Folkner. For the veterans among your Folkner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Folkner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Folkner family history

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What is the average Folkner lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Folkner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Folkner in 1951 was 52, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Folkner

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

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