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Melvin Family History

Melvin Surname Meaning

Scottish (of Norman origin): variant of Melville with alternation of final -l and -n.

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Maoil Mhín ‘descendant of the devotee of Maoilmhín’ a personal name meaning ‘gentle chieftain’.

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


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Where is the Melvin family from?

You can see how Melvin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Melvin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Melvin families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 131 Melvin families living in Durham. This was about 19% of all the recorded Melvin's in United Kingdom. Durham and 1 other county had the highest population of Melvin families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Melvin 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 Melvin 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 Melvin. 34% of Melvin men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Melvin women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Melvin were Medical Practitioner and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Melvin | 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
    34%
  • Builders Labourer
    14%
  • Insurance Agent
    10%
  • Medical Practitioner
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Melvin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 97,000 census records available for the last name Melvin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Melvin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Melvin

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Melvin. 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 Melvin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Melvin. For the veterans among your Melvin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Melvin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Melvin family history

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What is the average Melvin lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Melvin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Melvin in 1944 was 32, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Melvin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Melvin 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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