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Melby Family History

Melby Surname Meaning

Norwegian: habitational name from any of about 25 farmsteads in eastern Norway originally named Methalbýr in Old Norse.

This name is derived from the elements methal ‘middle’ + býr ‘farmstead’.

The use of such names reflects the historical and geographical significance of locations in Norway.

Farmsteads often served as critical centers of agriculture and community life in the region.

This linguistic heritage highlights the importance of place in Norwegian identity.

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


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Where is the Melby family from?

You can see how Melby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Melby family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Melby families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 13 Melby families living in Hampshire. This was about 45% of all the recorded Melby's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Melby families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Melby 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 Melby ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Melby. 32% of Melby men worked as a Farmer and 10% of Melby women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Melby were Salesman and Clerk.

View Census Data for Melby | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Farm Laborer
    7%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Clerk
    8%

What Melby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Melby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Melby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Melby

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Melby. 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 Melby immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Melby military records

You've only scratched the surface of Melby family history

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What is the average Melby lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Melby life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Melby in 1947 was 37, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Melby

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Melby 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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