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Palermo Family History

Palermo Surname Meaning

Italian: habitational name from the Sicilian city of Palermo, the Greek name of which is Panormos, from pan ‘all’ + hormos ‘anchorage bay’, probably in the sense ‘wide gulf’ but possibly ‘well-protected bay’.

The placename was also used as a personal name in the medieval period and no doubt also contributed to the surname.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Palermo family from?

You can see how Palermo families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Palermo family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Palermo families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 5 Palermo families living in Gloucestershire. This was 100% of all the recorded Palermo's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Palermo families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Palermo 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 Palermo ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and New Worker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Palermo. 23% of Palermo men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Palermo women worked as a New Worker. Some less common occupations for Americans named Palermo were Truck Driver and Packer.

View Census Data for Palermo | 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

  • Laborer
    23%
  • Barber
    5%
  • Clerk
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • New Worker
    10%
  • Operator
    8%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Packer
    5%

What Palermo family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Palermo. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Palermo census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Palermo

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Palermo. 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 Palermo immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Palermo. For the veterans among your Palermo ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Palermo military records

You've only scratched the surface of Palermo family history

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What is the average Palermo lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Palermo life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Palermo in 1944 was 31, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Palermo

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Palermo 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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