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Kelm Family History

Kelm Surname Meaning

Germanized form of Polish Chełm ‘peak hill’ a topographic name for someone who lived by a hill with a pointed summit.

It also serves as a habitational name from a city in eastern Poland.

There are various other places that share the same name and meaning.

The term highlights the geographical significance of hills in the identification of individuals and communities.

Such names often reflect the characteristics of the landscape in which they originated.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Kelm family from?

You can see how Kelm families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kelm family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kelm families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 9 Kelm families living in Lancashire. This was about 90% of all the recorded Kelm's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Kelm families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kelm 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 Kelm ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Kelm. 100% of Kelm women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Kelm | 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
    100%

What Kelm family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Kelm. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kelm census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kelm

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Kelm. 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 Kelm immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Kelm military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kelm family history

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What is the average Kelm lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Kelm life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Kelm in 1949 was 48, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kelm

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

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