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Mortimer Family History

Mortimer Surname Meaning

English and Scottish (of Norman origin): habitational name from Mortemer in Seine-Maritime, France, so called from Old French mort(e) ‘dead’ + mer ‘sea’, probably referring to a stagnant pond or drained swamp.

Irish (of Norman origin): the Norman surname in sense 1 above was taken to Ireland from England in the medieval period, where it has also been adopted by bearers of the Gaelic surnames Mac Muircheartaigh and ÓMuircheartaigh, commonly Anglicized as McMurty and Mortagh.

Compare McMurdo.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Mortimer family from?

You can see how Mortimer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mortimer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mortimer families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,871 Mortimer families living in Yorkshire. This was about 31% of all the recorded Mortimer's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Mortimer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mortimer 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 Mortimer 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 Mortimer. 9% of Mortimer men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Mortimer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mortimer were Incapacitated and Housewife.

View Census Data for Mortimer | 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
    9%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Mortimer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 173,000 census records available for the last name Mortimer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mortimer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Mortimer

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Mortimer. 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 Mortimer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Mortimer. For the veterans among your Mortimer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mortimer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mortimer family history

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What is the average Mortimer lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Mortimer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Mortimer in 1944 was 33, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mortimer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mortimer 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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