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Lim Family History

Lim Surname Meaning

English: variant of Lum. Korean: variant of Im 1 and Chinese: Teochew Hokkien and Hakka form of the surname 林 ‘woods forest’ see Lin. These dialects in which this form occurs are found in Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Taiwan, from where some people migrated to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other parts of Southeast Asia (compare 6 below).

Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 廉 see Lian. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 練 see Lian.

Cambodian: written លីម of Chinese origin from 林 meaning ‘woods forest’ (see Lin 1 and compare 3 above).

Cambodian: written លឹម of Chinese origin, a variant of Lem 4 and possibly cognate with 6 above.

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


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Where is the Lim family from?

You can see how Lim families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lim family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lim families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 10 Lim families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Lim's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Lim families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lim 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 Lim ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Laundry Worker and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Lim. 60% of Lim men worked as a Laundry Worker and 72% of Lim women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lim were Laundry Heavy Work and Medical Student.

View Census Data for Lim | 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

  • Laundry Worker
    60%
  • Laundry Heavy Work
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Medical Student
    29%

What Lim family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Lim

Passenger Lists

There are 22,000 immigration records available for the last name Lim. 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 Lim immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Lim military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lim family history

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What is the average Lim lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Lim life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Lim in 1954 was 58, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lim

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lim 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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