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Purple Family History

Purple Surname Meaning

Probably an Americanized form (translation into English) of Italian Purpura.

English (Norfolk): nickname or occupational name from Middle English purpel ‘purple dark crimson’

perhaps denoting a dyer or a trader in fine cloth

or perhaps referring to a feature of someone's appearance.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purple family from?

You can see how Purple families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purple family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Purple families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 40 Purple families living in Norfolk. This was about 93% of all the recorded Purple's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Purple families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purple 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 Purple ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Agricultural Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Purple. 50% of Purple men worked as an Agricultural Labourer and 83% of Purple women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purple were Gardener and Housewife.

View Census Data for Purple | 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

  • Agricultural Labourer
    50%
  • Gardener
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Domestic Duties
    9%
  • Housewife
    9%

What Purple family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Purple. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purple census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Purple

Passenger Lists

There are 157 immigration records available for the last name Purple. 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 Purple immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Purple. For the veterans among your Purple ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purple military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purple family history

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What is the average Purple lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Purple life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Purple in 1948 was 40, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purple

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purple 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Purple family tree

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