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Wharff Family History

Wharff Name Meaning

English (Lincolnshire): habitational name from Wharfe in Austwick (Yorkshire). The placename derives from Old Norse hvarf or hverfi ‘bend nook corner’. Occasionally the surname may be a topographic name or an occupational name from Middle English w(h)arf ‘wharf quay landing-place’ probably denoting someone who either live by a wharf or someone who worked at one.

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


Similar surnames: Wharton, Huff, Chard, Gaff, Scarff, Warth, Hardt, Harty, Hauff, Warne

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Wharff family from?

You can see how Wharff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wharff family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Wharff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 5 Wharff families living in Alberta. This was about 71% of all the recorded Wharff's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Wharff families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wharff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Wharff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wharff. 20% of Wharff men worked as a Laborer and 25% of Wharff women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wharff were Proprietor and Maid. .

View Census Data for Wharff | 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

  • Laborer
    20%
  • New Worker
    15%
  • Janitor
    10%
  • Proprietor
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    25%
  • Housewife
    25%
  • New Worker
    25%
  • Maid
    25%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wharff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Wharff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wharff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wharff

Passenger Lists

There are 94 immigration records available for the last name Wharff. 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 Wharff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 410 military records available for the last name Wharff. For the veterans among your Wharff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wharff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wharff family history

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What is the average Wharff lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Wharff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Wharff in 1941 was 36, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wharff

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