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Purser Family History

Purser Surname Meaning

English: occupational name from Middle English purser(e), purcere, porser(e) ‘purser purse-bearer treasurer’

but sometimes also meaning ‘maker of purses or bags’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purser family from?

You can see how Purser families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purser family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Purser families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 222 Purser families living in London. This was about 20% of all the recorded Purser's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Purser families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purser 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 Purser 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 Purser. 10% of Purser men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Purser women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purser were Incapacitated and Housewife.

View Census Data for Purser | 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
    10%
  • Cowman
    5%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Purser family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Purser. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purser census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Purser

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Purser. 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 Purser immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Purser. For the veterans among your Purser ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purser military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purser family history

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What is the average Purser lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Purser life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Purser in 1950 was 47, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purser

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purser 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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