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Lafferty Family History

Lafferty Surname Meaning

Irish (mainly northern Ireland): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Fhlaithbheartaigh or Mac Fhlaithbheartaigh ‘descendant (or ‘son’) of Flaithbheartach’ a personal name composed of the elements flaith ‘prince ruler’ + beartach ‘doer of valiant deeds’.

The internal consonant cluster -thbh- of the Irish name is variously realized as f, v, or h.

See also Flaherty.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Lafferty family from?

You can see how Lafferty families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lafferty family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lafferty families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 47 Lafferty families living in Lancashire. This was about 31% of all the recorded Lafferty's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Lafferty families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lafferty 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 Lafferty 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 Lafferty. 47% of Lafferty men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Lafferty women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lafferty were Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Lafferty | 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
    47%
  • Steel Bender H W
    14%
  • Automobile Mechanic
    14%
  • Farm Labourer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    7%
  • Health Visitor
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Lafferty family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 53,000 census records available for the last name Lafferty. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lafferty census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lafferty

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Lafferty. 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 Lafferty immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Lafferty. For the veterans among your Lafferty ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lafferty military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lafferty family history

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What is the average Lafferty lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Lafferty life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Lafferty in 1943 was 28, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lafferty

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lafferty 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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