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Serpell Family History

Serpell Surname Meaning

Possibly a locative name from Appledore in Burlescombe (Devon), which is recorded as Surapla in 1086, Surapple in the 12th century, and as the fuller Sureapeldor in 1242 and Sourappeldore in 130. The place-name means ‘sour-apple (tree),’ the sour apple being the crab-apple from Old English sūr ‘sour’ + æppel ‘apple’ (apuldor, apuldre ‘apple-tree’).

The shorter name may have persisted in local speech into the surnaming period. Compare Appledore.

Possibly sometimes a nickname from Middle English sour ‘sour’ + appel ‘apple’; compare Joh. Sourappill 1386 in Feet of Fines (Yorks).

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Serpell family from?

You can see how Serpell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Serpell family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Serpell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 44 Serpell families living in Cornwall. This was about 51% of all the recorded Serpell's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Serpell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Serpell 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 Serpell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Royal Navy Retired and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Serpell. 100% of Serpell men worked as a Royal Navy Retired and 83% of Serpell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Serpell | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Royal Navy Retired
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Paid Domestic Duties
    9%
  • Hotel Cookhouse Keeper
    9%

What Serpell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Serpell

Passenger Lists

There are 385 immigration records available for the last name Serpell. 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 Serpell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 152 military records available for the last name Serpell. For the veterans among your Serpell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Serpell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Serpell family history

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What is the average Serpell lifespan?

Between 1977 and 2004, in the United States, Serpell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Serpell in 1977 was 86, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Serpell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Serpell 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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