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Retta Family History

Retta Surname Meaning

Ethiopian: from the personal name Retta which is interpreted as ‘he won’ in the Amharic language.

— Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.

Italian: feminine short form of any of several personal names ending with the diminutive suffix -retto.

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 Retta family from?

You can see how Retta families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Retta family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Retta families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Retta family living in Kent. This was 100% of all the recorded Retta's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Retta families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Retta 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 Retta ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Retta. 39% of Retta men worked as a Salesman and 56% of Retta women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Retta were Janitor and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Retta | 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

  • Salesman
    39%
  • Laborer
    31%
  • Gardener
    16%
  • Janitor
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    56%
  • Maid
    23%
  • Housekeeper
    23%

What Retta family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Retta

Passenger Lists

There are 212 immigration records available for the last name Retta. 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 Retta immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 144 military records available for the last name Retta. For the veterans among your Retta ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Retta military records

You've only scratched the surface of Retta family history

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What is the average Retta lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Retta life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Retta in 1963 was 75, and 102 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Retta

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Retta 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 Retta family tree

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