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Pfahl Family History

Pfahl Surname Meaning

German: from Middle High German pfāl ‘post stake pile’ (early loanword from Latin palus) hence a nickname for a tall thin person.

A topographic name for someone who lived by a palissade or near a post marking the village boundary or just outside a city wall.

Or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made posts and stakes or erected them.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Pfahl family from?

You can see how Pfahl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pfahl family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Pfahl families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 6 Pfahl families living in London. This was about 86% of all the recorded Pfahl's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Pfahl families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pfahl 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 Pfahl ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Pfahl. 20% of Pfahl men worked as a Laborer and 43% of Pfahl women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pfahl were Proprietor and New Worker.

View Census Data for Pfahl | 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
    20%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Proprietor
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    43%
  • Saleslady
    29%
  • New Worker
    29%

What Pfahl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Pfahl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pfahl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pfahl

Passenger Lists

There are 587 immigration records available for the last name Pfahl. 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 Pfahl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Pfahl. For the veterans among your Pfahl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pfahl military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pfahl family history

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What is the average Pfahl lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Pfahl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Pfahl in 1948 was 56, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pfahl

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Pfahl 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Pfahl family tree

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