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Salmela Family History

Salmela Surname Meaning

Finnish: habitational name from farms so named from salmi ‘strait’ (compare Salmi) + the locative ending -la.

Established as a hereditary surname since the 19th century in western, southern, and northern Finland.

Adopted also as an ornamental name during the name-changing campaigns, especially in the early 20th century to replace Swedish surnames.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Salmela family from?

You can see how Salmela families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Salmela family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Salmela families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 14 Salmela families living in Minnesota. This was about 32% of all the recorded Salmela's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Salmela families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Salmela 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 Salmela ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Salmela. 49% of Salmela men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Salmela women worked as a Maid.

View Census Data for Salmela | 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
    49%
  • Farmer Manager
    10%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Elevator Operator
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    100%

What Salmela family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 899 census records available for the last name Salmela. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Salmela census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Salmela

Passenger Lists

There are 824 immigration records available for the last name Salmela. 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 Salmela immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 198 military records available for the last name Salmela. For the veterans among your Salmela ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Salmela military records

You've only scratched the surface of Salmela family history

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What is the average Salmela lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Salmela life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Salmela in 1959 was 45, and 95 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Salmela

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Salmela 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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