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Kerner Family History

Kerner Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a farmer or a nickname for a physically small person from an agent derivative of Middle High German kerne ‘kernel seed pip’, German Kern or Yiddish kern ‘grain’. German: occupational name for a carter from Karren ‘cart’ (see Karner).

German: Alemannic occupational name for a baker using spelt (a type of wheat) or for a spelt dealer. German: variant of Körner (see Korner).

English (Surrey): occupational name from Middle English kerner, a side-form of cherner, churner ‘churner, one who churns butter’. Compare Churn and Kern.

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


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Where is the Kerner family from?

You can see how Kerner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kerner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kerner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 32 Kerner families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Kerner's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Kerner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kerner 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 Kerner ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Kerner. 93% of Kerner women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Kerner | 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
    93%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    8%

What Kerner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 20,000 census records available for the last name Kerner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kerner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kerner

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Kerner. For the veterans among your Kerner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kerner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kerner family history

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What is the average Kerner lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Kerner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Kerner in 1942 was 25, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kerner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kerner 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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