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Lem Family History

Lem Surname Meaning

Dutch and Scandinavian: from a short form of the personal name Lambrecht or Lempert (see Lambert). English: probably a variant of Lemm.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 林 based on its pronunciation of the Siyi Cantonese subdialect (also known as Sze Yup or Four Districts dialect including Taishanese) spoken in southern Guangdong; see Lin.

Cambodian: written លឹម of Chinese origin (possibly corresponding to 3 above). Compare Lim.

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


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Where is the Lem family from?

You can see how Lem families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lem family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lem families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 23 Lem families living in Yorkshire. This was about 49% of all the recorded Lem's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Lem families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lem 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 Lem ancestors do for a living?

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

View Census Data for Lem | 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 Lem family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Lem. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lem census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lem

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Lem. 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 Lem immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 757 military records available for the last name Lem. For the veterans among your Lem ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lem military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lem family history

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What is the average Lem lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Lem life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Lem in 1951 was 53, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lem

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lem 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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