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Rensselaer Family History

Rensselaer Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Ressler, Rensberger, Wesseler, Renschler, Henseler, Dressler, Tessler

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rensselaer family from?

You can see how Rensselaer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rensselaer family name was found in the USA between 1840 and 1920. The most Rensselaer families were found in USA in 1840. In 1840 there were 2 Rensselaer families living in Indiana. This was about 50% of all the recorded Rensselaer's in USA. Indiana and 1 other state had the highest population of Rensselaer families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rensselaer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Rensselaer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Truck Driver and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rensselaer. 100% of Rensselaer men worked as a Truck Driver and 100% of Rensselaer women worked as a Teacher.

View Census Data for Rensselaer | 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

  • Truck Driver
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    100%

What Rensselaer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Rensselaer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rensselaer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rensselaer

Passenger Lists

There are 599 immigration records available for the last name Rensselaer. 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 Rensselaer immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Rensselaer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rensselaer family history

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What is the average Rensselaer lifespan?

Average Rensselaer life expectancy in 1977 was 88 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 70.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rensselaer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rensselaer 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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