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Pape Family History

Pape Surname Meaning

North German, Dutch, English (mainly northern), and French: nickname from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch pape ‘priest, cleric’, Old French pape ‘pope’, possibly for a person thought dignified or magnificent, or for someone with a severe or pompous manner, or perhaps a pageant name for someone who had played the part of a pope or priest. Compare Papa and Pope.

English (mainly northern), North German, and Dutch: from an ancient Germanic personal name Pap(p)o of uncertain origin, which occurs as the first element of the placename Papworth (Cambridgeshire) and Papendrecht (South Holland).

English (mainly northern): nickname from Middle English pap(e), pappe ‘gruel, porridge, baby food’ (Old French papa), related to pappe ‘breast’ (from Latin papilla), perhaps for someone who lacked the teeth for more substantial food.

German: nickname from a baby word for ‘father’. Compare Baab.

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


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Where is the Pape family from?

You can see how Pape families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pape family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pape families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 370 Pape families living in Yorkshire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Pape's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Pape families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pape 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 Pape 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 Pape. 5% of Pape men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Pape women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pape were Coal Miner Putter Heavy Work Below and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Pape | 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
    5%
  • Railway Clerk
    5%
  • Retired
    5%
  • Coal Miner Putter Heavy Work Below
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    2%

What Pape family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 66,000 census records available for the last name Pape. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pape census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pape

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Pape. 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 Pape immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Pape. For the veterans among your Pape ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pape military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pape family history

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What is the average Pape lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Pape life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Pape in 1943 was 34, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pape

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Pape 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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