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Perl Family History

Perl Surname Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Perel. German: habitational name from any of several places called Perl, Berel, or Berl.

German: metonymic occupational name for a jeweler from Middle High German perle ‘pearl’.

Austrian German: from a pet form of Bernhard.

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


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Where is the Perl family from?

You can see how Perl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perl family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Perl families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 35 Perl families living in London. This was about 45% of all the recorded Perl's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Perl families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perl 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 Perl ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Perl. 92% of Perl women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Perl | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    92%
  • Domestic Servant
    9%

What Perl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Perl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Perl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Perl

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Perl. 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 Perl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Perl. For the veterans among your Perl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Perl military records

You've only scratched the surface of Perl family history

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What is the average Perl lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Perl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Perl in 1947 was 45, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perl

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Perl 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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