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Surber Family History

Surber Name Meaning

German: variant of Sorber 2 a topographic name from a the dialect word surbe sorbe ‘marsh’ the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant. Swiss German: habitational name for someone from the area of the river Surb near Zurich Switzerland. Compare Sorber

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


Similar surnames: Sorber, Turner, Sorter, Serber, Sudler, Furrer, Hurter, Furber

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 Surber family from?

You can see how Surber families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Surber family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Surber families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Surber families living in British Columbia. This was about 50% of all the recorded Surber's in Canada. British Columbia and 1 other province had the highest population of Surber families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Surber surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Surber ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Surber. 22% of Surber men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Surber women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Surber were Clerk and Seamstress. .

View Census Data for Surber | 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, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    22%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Saleslady
    11%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Seamstress
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Surber family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Surber. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Surber census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Surber

Passenger Lists

There are 673 immigration records available for the last name Surber. 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 Surber immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Surber. For the veterans among your Surber ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Surber military records

You've only scratched the surface of Surber family history

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What is the average Surber lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Surber life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Surber in 1948 was 49, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Surber

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Surber family tree

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