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Phelps Family History

Phelps Surname Meaning

Scottish and English (southwestern): variant of Phillips.

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


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Where is the Phelps family from?

You can see how Phelps families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Phelps family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Phelps families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 751 Phelps families living in Gloucestershire. This was about 24% of all the recorded Phelps's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Phelps families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Phelps 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 Phelps ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Phelps. 7% of Phelps men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Phelps women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Phelps were Coal Hewer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Phelps | 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

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Coal Hewer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Phelps family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 307,000 census records available for the last name Phelps. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Phelps census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Phelps

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Phelps. 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 Phelps immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 59,000 military records available for the last name Phelps. For the veterans among your Phelps ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Phelps military records

You've only scratched the surface of Phelps family history

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What is the average Phelps lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Phelps life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Phelps in 1940 was 37, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Phelps

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Phelps 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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