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Belk Family History

Belk Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire): habitational name from Belph in Whitwell Derbyshire whose Middle English form Belgh pronounced /bɛlχ/ developed in the 16th century to Belth and Belph (pronounced with final [f]). The surname preserves an alternative Middle English pronunciation with final [k] for [χ]. German: variant of Belke .

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


Similar surnames: Gell, Beck, Bel, Welk, Berk, Delk, Bek, Bell, Belt, Zelt

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Belk family from?

You can see how Belk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Belk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Belk families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 219 Belk families living in Yorkshire. This was about 64% of all the recorded Belk's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Belk families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Belk 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 Belk 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 Belk. 28% of Belk men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Belk women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Belk were Railway Clerk and Unpaid Domestic Duti. .

View Census Data for Belk | 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
    28%
  • Colliery Hewer
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    19%
  • Railway Clerk
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Belk family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Belk. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Belk census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Belk

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Belk. 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 Belk immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Belk. For the veterans among your Belk ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Belk military records

You've only scratched the surface of Belk family history

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What is the average Belk lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Belk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Belk in 1940 was 39, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Belk

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