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Genever Family History

Genever Surname Meaning

From the Middle English female personal name Gweniver, Genever, Jenever, and Juniver, it was an Anglo-Norman borrowing and adaptation of Welsh Gwenhwyvar (gwen ‘fair, white’ + (g)wyfar ‘smooth, soft, yielding’). This name became widely known through the character of King Arthur's wife in French and English medieval romances.

Withycombe records it as Gwenhevare in 1431 in Shrops and as Jenefer in 1554, and Junipher in 1691, both from Cornwall. The name also appears in Middle English as janiver, jenever, and geniver (from Old French geniver), which refers to the month of January.

There are comparisons with January, Gennery, and Feaviour. Spellings of the surname that begin with Jan-, Gen-, and Jen- may relate to this explanation or the earlier one, but spellings that start with Jun- can only be associated with the latter.

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


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Where is the Genever family from?

You can see how Genever families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Genever family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1891 and 1920. The most Genever families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 14 Genever families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Genever's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Genever families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Genever 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 Genever ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Genever. 94% of Genever women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Genever | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    94%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    7%

What Genever family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Genever. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Genever census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Genever

Passenger Lists

There are 159 immigration records available for the last name Genever. 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 Genever immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 113 military records available for the last name Genever. For the veterans among your Genever ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Genever military records

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What is the average Genever lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Genever life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Genever in 1965 was 63, and 51 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Genever

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Genever 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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