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Merkes Family History

Merkes Surname Meaning

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): metronymic from the Yiddish female personal name Merke, a variant of Mirke (see Mirkin) formed with the Yiddish possessive -s.

German: patronymic from the personal name Merk.

It is found mainly in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.

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 Merkes family from?

You can see how Merkes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merkes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Merkes families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Merkes families living in London. This was about 60% of all the recorded Merkes's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Merkes families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merkes 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 Merkes ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Clerical were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Merkes. 60% of Merkes men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Merkes women worked as a Clerical.

View Census Data for Merkes | 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
    60%
  • Clerk
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerical
    100%

What Merkes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 946 census records available for the last name Merkes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merkes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Merkes

Passenger Lists

There are 101 immigration records available for the last name Merkes. 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 Merkes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 152 military records available for the last name Merkes. For the veterans among your Merkes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Merkes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Merkes family history

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What is the average Merkes lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Merkes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2001, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Merkes in 1964 was 64, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Merkes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Merkes 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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