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Purves Family History

Purves Surname Meaning

Scottish (Berwickshire and Midlothian) English (Northumberland) and Irish (Wexford) of Norman origin: variant of Purvis.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purves family from?

You can see how Purves families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purves family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Purves families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 220 Purves families living in Northumberland. This was about 36% of all the recorded Purves's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Purves families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purves 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 Purves 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 Purves. 15% of Purves men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Purves women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purves were Insurance Agent and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Purves | 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
    15%
  • Incapacitated
    12%
  • Bricklayer
    12%
  • Insurance Agent
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%

What Purves family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Purves. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purves census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Purves

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Purves. 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 Purves immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Purves military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purves family history

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What is the average Purves lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Purves life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Purves in 1952 was 53, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purves

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purves 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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