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Desmith Family History

Desmith Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Nesmith, De Smith, Smith, Demmitt, Demuth, Nessmith, Hysmith, Beamish

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 Desmith family from?

You can see how Desmith families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Desmith family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Desmith families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 9 Desmith families living in Cheshire. This was about 45% of all the recorded Desmith's in United Kingdom. Cheshire had the highest population of Desmith families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Desmith 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 Desmith ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Desmith. 41% of Desmith men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Desmith women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Desmith were Farm Laborer and Maid. .

View Census Data for Desmith | 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

  • Farmer
    41%
  • Truck Driver
    19%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Farm Laborer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    50%
  • Maid
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Desmith family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Desmith. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Desmith census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Desmith

Passenger Lists

There are 148 immigration records available for the last name Desmith. 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 Desmith immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 177 military records available for the last name Desmith. For the veterans among your Desmith ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Desmith military records

You've only scratched the surface of Desmith family history

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What is the average Desmith lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Desmith life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Desmith in 1956 was 48, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Desmith

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