Desmond Family History

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Desmond Name Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Deasmhumhnaigh ‘descendant of the man from southern Munster’, from deas ‘south’ + Mumhain ‘Munster’, an ancient Irish kingdom named for Mumhu, one of its early kings. The surname Desmond has passed into common use as a personal name, not only in Ireland.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Diamond, Dearmond, Redmond, Dermody, Esmond, Deshong, Osmond

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Desmond Family Origin

Where is the Desmond family from?

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You can see how Desmond families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Desmond family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Desmond families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 268 Desmond families living in London. This was about 47% of all the recorded Desmond's in the UK. London had the highest population of Desmond families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Desmond surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Desmond

Desmond Family Occupations

What did your Desmond ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the UK named Desmond. 3% of Desmond men worked as a General Labourer and 46% of Desmond women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Desmond were Hotel Porter and Unpaid Domestic

View Census data for Desmond | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations in 1939

  • General Labourer
    3%
  • Dock Labourer
    2%
  • Builders Labourer
    1%
  • Hotel Porter
    1%

Top Female Occupations in 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    46%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Desmond Historical Records

What Desmond family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 72,000 census records available for the last name Desmond. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Desmond census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search 1891 UK census records for Desmond

Passenger List

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Desmond. 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 Desmond immigration records

Draft Card

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Desmond. For the veterans among your Desmond ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Desmond military records

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Desmond Life Expectancy

What is the average Desmond lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Desmond life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Desmond in 1950 was 43, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Desmond

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Desmond 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.

Famous Desmond Family Ancestors

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