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Palka Family History

Palka Name Meaning

Polish (Pałka) and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic; also Pałka): from Polish pałka ‘truncheon club’ used as a nickname applied either to a thin or stiff person or to one who used a truncheon as a weapon. Slovak (mainly Pálka): from páľka ‘quantity of products fired at one time’ or ‘burning pottery products in the furnace’ probably used as a metonymic occupational name (for a potter).

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


Similar surnames: Pala, Palys, Galka, Kalka, Para, Opalka, Tarka, Hulka, Pelka, Falla

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Where is the Palka family from?

You can see how Palka families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Palka family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Palka families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 2 Palka families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Palka's in United Kingdom. London and 1 other county had the highest population of Palka families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Palka surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Palka ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Palka. 31% of Palka men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Palka women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Palka were Clerk and Laborer. .

View Census Data for Palka | 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

  • Laborer
    31%
  • Farmer
    11%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    16%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Maid
    9%
  • Laborer
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Palka family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Palka. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Palka census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Palka

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Palka. For the veterans among your Palka ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Palka military records

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What is the average Palka lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Palka life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Palka in 1944 was 53, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Palka

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