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Alder Family History

Alder Name Meaning

English: topographic name for someone living by an alder tree or by a group of alders from Middle English al(d)re alder. German: variant of Alter . German: status name for a senior from Middle High German althērre ‘(respected) older gentleman’. Americanized form (translation into English) of Swedish Ahl . Americanized form (translation into English) of Finnish Leppä or Leppänen see Leppanen .

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


Similar surnames: Alger, Alden, Ander, Almer, Alber, Alter, Walder, Elder, Alders, Lier

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Alder family from?

You can see how Alder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Alder family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Alder families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 29 Alder families living in Ontario. This was about 25% of all the recorded Alder's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Alder families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Alder surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Alder ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Dressmaker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Alder. 65% of Alder men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Alder women worked as a Dressmaker. Some less common occupations for Americans named Alder were Laborer and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Alder | 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
    65%
  • Labourer
    24%
  • Laborer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Dressmaker
    50%
  • Stenographer
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Alder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 65,000 census records available for the last name Alder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Alder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Alder

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Alder. 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 Alder immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Alder. For the veterans among your Alder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Alder military records

You've only scratched the surface of Alder family history

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What is the average Alder lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Alder life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Alder in 1950 was 40, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Alder

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