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

Calder Family History

Calder Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from any of the places called Calder in Midlothian and Caithness or Cawdor in Nairnshire. English: perhaps a habitational name from Calder in Cumbria named from the river on which it stands (probably a British name from Welsh caled ‘hard violent’ + dwfr ‘water stream’). However the modern surname in England seems to be of Scottish origin rather than from the Cumbrian placename.

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


Similar surnames: Carden, Mander, Walder, Calver, Colmer, Alder, Caleb, Valder, Carder

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 Calder family from?

You can see how Calder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Calder family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Calder families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 383 Calder families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Calder's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Calder families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Calder surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Calder ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Calder. 33% of Calder men worked as a Farmer and 21% of Calder women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Calder were Carpenter and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Calder | 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
    33%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Fisherman
    7%
  • Carpenter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    21%
  • Teacher
    15%
  • School Teacher
    11%
  • Stenographer
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Calder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 99,000 census records available for the last name Calder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Calder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Calder

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Calder. 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 Calder immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Calder. For the veterans among your Calder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Calder military records

You've only scratched the surface of Calder family history

Discover More

What is the average Calder lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Calder life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Calder in 1948 was 61, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Calder

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Calder family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Calder last name

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