History of your Surname
Get access to Cleveland family records.Start a free trial

Cleveland Family History

Cleveland Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places in Devon Essex or the North Yorkshire formed from the genitive plural (clifa) of Old English clif ‘bank slope’ + land ‘land’. Americanized form (and a rare Norwegian variant) of Norwegian Kleveland or its variant Kleiveland and also of Kleven or its variant Kleiven.

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


Similar surnames: Loveland, Clelland, Cleaveland, Roseland, Cleverly, Copeland, Helland

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Cleveland family from?

You can see how Cleveland families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cleveland family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cleveland families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 267 Cleveland families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 52% of all the recorded Cleveland's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Cleveland families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cleveland surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Cleveland ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Cleveland. 37% of Cleveland men worked as a Farmer and 21% of Cleveland women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cleveland were Labourer and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Cleveland | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Fisherman
    11%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Labourer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servant
    21%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Income
    17%
  • Stenographer
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cleveland family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 156,000 census records available for the last name Cleveland. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cleveland census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Cleveland

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Cleveland. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cleveland immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 64,000 military records available for the last name Cleveland. For the veterans among your Cleveland ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cleveland military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cleveland family history

Discover More

What is the average Cleveland lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Cleveland life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Cleveland in 1940 was 29, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cleveland

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Cleveland family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Cleveland last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial