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Schwarzwalder Family History

Schwarzwalder Surname Meaning

German (Schwarzwälder): habitational name for someone from the Black Forest (German Schwarzwald from Old High German swarz ‘black’ + wald ‘forest’) a large forested region in southwestern Germany.

Alternatively, it can refer to a person from any of several places called Schwarzwald, for example near Gotha.

As such, the name indicates a geographic origin linked to the notable landscapes of the area.

This surname can also be compared to similar names such as Blackwelder and Swartzwelder.

These comparisons highlight the variation in surnames that stem from similar meanings related to the concept of a dark or black forest.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Schwarzwalder family from?

You can see how Schwarzwalder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Schwarzwalder family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Schwarzwalder families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 9 Schwarzwalder families living in New York. This was about 53% of all the recorded Schwarzwalder's in USA. New York had the highest population of Schwarzwalder families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Schwarzwalder 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 Schwarzwalder ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Schwarzwalder. 67% of Schwarzwalder men worked as a Salesman and 43% of Schwarzwalder women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Schwarzwalder were Farmer and Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Schwarzwalder | 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
    67%
  • Farmer
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    43%
  • Stenographer
    29%
  • Bookkeeper
    29%

What Schwarzwalder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 807 census records available for the last name Schwarzwalder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Schwarzwalder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Schwarzwalder

Passenger Lists

There are 271 immigration records available for the last name Schwarzwalder. 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 Schwarzwalder immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 446 military records available for the last name Schwarzwalder. For the veterans among your Schwarzwalder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Schwarzwalder military records

You've only scratched the surface of Schwarzwalder family history

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What is the average Schwarzwalder lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Schwarzwalder 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.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Schwarzwalder

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