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Perla Family History

Perla Surname Meaning

Spanish: from perla ‘pearl’ possibly applied as a metonymic occupational name for a trader in pearls which in the Middle Ages were fashionable among the rich for the ornamentation of clothes.

Italian: generally from the female personal name Perla meaning ‘pearl’ (Italian perla) but in some cases possibly a metonymic occupational name from the vocabulary word (see 1 above).

Italian: habitational name from Perla a district of Schignano in Como province.

Croatian and Slovenian: nickname from perla ‘pearl’ a word of ultimately Latin origin also used pejoratively for a person who leaves a better impression than it is worth.

This surname is very rare in Croatia and Slovenia.

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


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Where is the Perla family from?

You can see how Perla families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perla family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Perla families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Perla family living in Norfolk. This was 100% of all the recorded Perla's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Perla families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perla 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 Perla ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perla. 23% of Perla men worked as a Laborer and 23% of Perla women worked as an Operator. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perla were Operator and Inspector.

View Census Data for Perla | 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%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Painter
    9%
  • Operator
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Operator
    23%
  • New Worker
    23%
  • Brush Maker
    12%
  • Inspector
    12%

What Perla family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Perla. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Perla census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Perla

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Perla. 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 Perla immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 388 military records available for the last name Perla. For the veterans among your Perla ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Perla military records

You've only scratched the surface of Perla family history

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What is the average Perla lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Perla life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Perla in 1962 was 69, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perla

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Perla 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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