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Tarr Family History

Tarr Surname Meaning

English (mainly Devon and Somerset): habitational name from Tarr in Hawkridge or Tarr in Lydeard Saint Lawrence (both in Somerset). The placenames may derive from Old English torr ‘rock, rocky peak’ though this cannot be certain as early forms of the placenames have not been found.

English: metonymic occupational name from Middle English tar(re) ‘tar’ (Old English teoru) for someone who worked with tar, such as a person who tarred ships to keep them watertight.

Possibly also an altered form of German Tharr, unexplained.

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


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Where is the Tarr family from?

You can see how Tarr families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tarr family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tarr families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 208 Tarr families living in Devon. This was about 19% of all the recorded Tarr's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Tarr families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tarr 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 Tarr ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tarr. 10% of Tarr men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Tarr women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tarr were Plumber and Housewife.

View Census Data for Tarr | 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

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Chauffeur
    4%
  • Plumber
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Household Duties
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Tarr family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 52,000 census records available for the last name Tarr. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tarr census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tarr

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Tarr. 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 Tarr immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Tarr. For the veterans among your Tarr ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tarr military records

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What is the average Tarr lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Tarr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Tarr in 1942 was 38, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tarr

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tarr 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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