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Pitman Family History

Pitman Surname Meaning

English (mainly southwestern): nickname from Middle English pit pit(t)e put(te) ‘hollow pit’ + man signifying one who lived or worked at such a location. See Pitt.

Americanized form of German Pitmann: variant of Pittmann (see Pittman).

Dutch: variant of Putman

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Pitman family from?

You can see how Pitman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pitman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pitman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 717 Pitman families living in Somerset. This was about 28% of all the recorded Pitman's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Pitman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pitman 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 Pitman 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 Pitman. 9% of Pitman men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Pitman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pitman were Farm Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Pitman | 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
    9%
  • Cowman
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Farm Labourer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Pitman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 127,000 census records available for the last name Pitman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pitman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pitman

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Pitman. 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 Pitman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Pitman. For the veterans among your Pitman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pitman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pitman family history

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What is the average Pitman lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Pitman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Pitman in 1940 was 61, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pitman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Pitman 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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