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Keafer Family History

Keafer Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Kafer, Keifer, Keffer, Keefer, Beaver, Keller, Kader, Kiefer, Kerker

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Keafer family from?

You can see how Keafer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keafer family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Keafer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Keafer family living in Dorset. This was about 50% of all the recorded Keafer's in United Kingdom. Dorset and 1 other county had the highest population of Keafer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keafer 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 Keafer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Seamstress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Keafer. 28% of Keafer men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Keafer women worked as a Seamstress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keafer were Machinist and Housework.

View Census Data for Keafer | 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
    28%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Truck Driver
    14%
  • Machinist
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    34%
  • New Worker
    34%
  • Housework
    34%

What Keafer family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Keafer

Passenger Lists

There are 70 immigration records available for the last name Keafer. 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 Keafer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 238 military records available for the last name Keafer. For the veterans among your Keafer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keafer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keafer family history

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What is the average Keafer lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2003, in the United States, Keafer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Keafer in 1956 was 59, and 76 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keafer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keafer 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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