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Powling Family History

Powling Surname Meaning

Perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English polling, a derivative of Middle English polle ‘head, hair of the head’ or pollen ‘to cut (hair), shave (someone's head)’ + the noun-forming suffix -ing. It may have been given to someone with a distinctive head of hair or who had a shaven head. Compare Topping.

From Poling (Sussex), which is recorded as Paling(e) and Palyng from the 12th to 16th centuries, Palinges in 1199, and Polynge in 1305. The place-name derives from Old English pāl ‘stake, pole’ (or from a nickname derived from pāl) + the group-name suffix -ingas.

This surname may have been confused with Pullen in (3); compare Baltazer Pullen 1639, Elizabeth Polling 1747 in IGI (Petworth, Sussex). See also Poland.

Variant of Pullan and Pullen; compare Ann Polling 1736, Richard Pullan 1789 in IGI (Bury, Lancs).

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Powling family from?

You can see how Powling families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Powling family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Powling families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 28 Powling families living in London. This was about 46% of all the recorded Powling's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Powling families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Powling 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 Powling ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Powling. 43% of Powling men worked as a Builders Labourer and 80% of Powling women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Powling were Taxi Driver and Housewife.

View Census Data for Powling | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    43%
  • Fish Cook
    29%
  • Taxi Driver
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Household Duties bar Work
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%

What Powling family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Powling

Passenger Lists

There are 295 immigration records available for the last name Powling. 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 Powling immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 254 military records available for the last name Powling. For the veterans among your Powling ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Powling military records

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What is the average Powling lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2002, in the United States, Powling life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Powling in 1961 was 48, and 71 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Powling

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Powling 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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