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Peabody Family History

Peabody Surname Meaning

English: nickname ‘peacock-body’ from Middle English pe pey pay (Old English pēa) ‘peacock’ + body perhaps for a vain person who dressed ostentatiously.

Compare Pea Peacock.

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


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Where is the Peabody family from?

You can see how Peabody families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Peabody family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Peabody families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 50 Peabody families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Peabody's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Peabody families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Peabody 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 Peabody ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Carpenter and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Peabody. 45% of Peabody men worked as a Carpenter and 82% of Peabody women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Peabody were General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Peabody | 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

  • Carpenter
    45%
  • Incapacitated
    34%
  • General Labourer
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Charwoman
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    3%

What Peabody family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 45,000 census records available for the last name Peabody. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Peabody census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Peabody

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Peabody. 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 Peabody immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Peabody. For the veterans among your Peabody ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Peabody military records

You've only scratched the surface of Peabody family history

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What is the average Peabody lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Peabody life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Peabody in 1944 was 62, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Peabody

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Peabody 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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