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Salmi Family History

Salmi Surname Meaning

Finnish: ornamental name from salmi ‘strait’ adopted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries chiefly in southwestern Finland by Finns without surnames or to replace Swedish surnames (compare Laine).

Also a habitational name from farms so named with reference to their location found mainly in Ostrobothnia and northern Finland.

In North America it is sometimes a shortened form of the cognate surname Salminen.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Salmi family from?

You can see how Salmi families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Salmi family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Salmi families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 44 Salmi families living in Minnesota. This was about 27% of all the recorded Salmi's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Salmi families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Salmi 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 Salmi ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Salmi. 33% of Salmi men worked as a Laborer and 22% of Salmi women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Salmi were Clerk and Waitress.

View Census Data for Salmi | 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

  • Laborer
    33%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    22%
  • Cook
    14%
  • House Work
    9%
  • Waitress
    9%

What Salmi family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Salmi

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Salmi. 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 Salmi immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 688 military records available for the last name Salmi. For the veterans among your Salmi ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Salmi military records

You've only scratched the surface of Salmi family history

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What is the average Salmi lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Salmi life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Salmi in 1958 was 48, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Salmi

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Salmi 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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