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Purkiss Family History

Purkiss Surname Meaning

English (Essex): usually a variant of Purchase sometimes of Perkins.

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


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Where is the Purkiss family from?

You can see how Purkiss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purkiss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Purkiss families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 296 Purkiss families living in Essex. This was about 36% of all the recorded Purkiss's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Purkiss families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purkiss 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 Purkiss 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 Purkiss. 12% of Purkiss men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Purkiss women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purkiss were Lorry Driver and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Purkiss | 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
    12%
  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • Gardener
    8%
  • Lorry Driver
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    3%

What Purkiss family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Purkiss. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purkiss census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Purkiss

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Purkiss. 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 Purkiss immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Purkiss military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purkiss family history

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What is the average Purkiss lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Purkiss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1979, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Purkiss in 1962 was 75, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purkiss

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purkiss 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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