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Pfenninger Family History

Pfenninger Surname Meaning

Swiss German and German: nickname for someone with tax obligations amounting to one pfennig or an occupational name for a toll collector on a turnpike at a bridge etc.

From an agent derivative of Middle High German pfenninc ‘penny’ (see Pfennig).

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


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Where is the Pfenninger family from?

You can see how Pfenninger families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pfenninger family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Pfenninger families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2 Pfenninger families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Pfenninger's in United Kingdom. London and 1 other county had the highest population of Pfenninger families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pfenninger 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 Pfenninger ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and New Worker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Pfenninger. 25% of Pfenninger men worked as a Farmer and 37% of Pfenninger women worked as a New Worker. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pfenninger were New Worker and Housewife.

View Census Data for Pfenninger | 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

  • Farmer
    25%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • New Worker
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • New Worker
    37%
  • Stenographer
    28%
  • Laundress
    19%
  • Housewife
    19%

What Pfenninger family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Pfenninger

Passenger Lists

There are 523 immigration records available for the last name Pfenninger. 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 Pfenninger immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 700 military records available for the last name Pfenninger. For the veterans among your Pfenninger ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pfenninger military records

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