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Melbourne Family History

Melbourne Surname Meaning

English (mainly East Midlands): habitational name from Melbourne (Derbyshire), Melbourn (Cambridgeshire), or Melbourne in Thornton (East Yorkshire). The Derbyshire placename derives from Old English myln ‘mill’ + burna ‘spring, stream’.

The Cambridgeshire placename may derive from an Old English personal name Melda + Old English burna. The Yorkshire placename derives from Old English middel ‘middle’ + burna.

There has been some confusion with Milburn and Malbon.

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 Melbourne family from?

You can see how Melbourne families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Melbourne family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Melbourne families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 132 Melbourne families living in Derbyshire. This was about 17% of all the recorded Melbourne's in United Kingdom. Derbyshire had the highest population of Melbourne families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Melbourne 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 Melbourne ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Melbourne. 14% of Melbourne men worked as a Gardener and 78% of Melbourne women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Melbourne were Farm Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Melbourne | 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

  • Gardener
    14%
  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Coal Miner Hewer
    9%
  • Farm Labourer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Melbourne family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Melbourne. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Melbourne census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Melbourne

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Melbourne. 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 Melbourne immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Melbourne. For the veterans among your Melbourne ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Melbourne military records

You've only scratched the surface of Melbourne family history

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What is the average Melbourne lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Melbourne life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1979, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Melbourne in 1963 was 70, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Melbourne

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

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