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Idle Family History

Idle Surname Meaning

English: variant of Idell. Americanized form of German Eitel.

Welsh: from the personal name Ith(a)el Old Welsh Iudhail ‘bountiful lord’.

Compare Ethell Bithell.

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 Idle family from?

You can see how Idle families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Idle family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Idle families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 243 Idle families living in Yorkshire. This was about 49% of all the recorded Idle's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Idle families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Idle 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 Idle 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 Idle. 20% of Idle men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Idle women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Idle were Agricultural Worker and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Idle | 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
    20%
  • Retired Old Age Pensioner
    10%
  • Boot shoe Lasting Room
    10%
  • Agricultural Worker
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Idle family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Idle. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Idle census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Idle

Passenger Lists

There are 693 immigration records available for the last name Idle. 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 Idle immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Idle. For the veterans among your Idle ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Idle military records

You've only scratched the surface of Idle family history

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What is the average Idle lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Idle life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Idle in 1963 was 71, and 90 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Idle

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Idle 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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