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Kelman Family History

Kelman Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Kelman Hill in Cabrach (partly Aberdeenshire partly Banffshire). The placename is perhaps from Gaelic caol ‘narrow’ + monadh ‘hill muir upland grazing’.

Americanized form of German Kellmann (see Kellman).

Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the male personal name Kelman, a variant of Kalman.

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 Kelman family from?

You can see how Kelman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kelman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kelman families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 17 Kelman families living in London. This was about 35% of all the recorded Kelman's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Kelman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kelman 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 Kelman ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Electrical Engineer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kelman. 50% of Kelman men worked as an Electrical Engineer and 86% of Kelman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kelman were General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Kelman | 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

  • Electrical Engineer
    50%
  • General Labourer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Private Means
    10%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%

What Kelman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Kelman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kelman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kelman

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Kelman. 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 Kelman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Kelman. For the veterans among your Kelman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kelman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kelman family history

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What is the average Kelman lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Kelman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1965, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Kelman in 1962 was 73, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kelman

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

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