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Reefer Family History

Reefer Surname Meaning

Possibly a derivative of North German Reef ‘rope’ denoting a ropemaker.

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 Reefer family from?

You can see how Reefer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reefer family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Reefer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 6 Reefer families living in London. This was about 60% of all the recorded Reefer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Reefer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reefer 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 Reefer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Reefer. 33% of Reefer men worked as a Farmer and 29% of Reefer women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Reefer were Salesman and Waitress.

View Census Data for Reefer | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    33%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Mechanic
    12%
  • Salesman
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    29%
  • Servant
    15%
  • Teacher
    15%
  • Waitress
    15%

What Reefer family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Reefer

Passenger Lists

There are 253 immigration records available for the last name Reefer. 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 Reefer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 686 military records available for the last name Reefer. For the veterans among your Reefer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reefer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Reefer family history

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What is the average Reefer lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Reefer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Reefer in 1958 was 54, and 52 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reefer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Reefer 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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