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

Palmer Family History

Palmer Name Meaning

English: nickname from Middle English palmer(e) ‘palmer pilgrim to the Holy Land’ (Anglo-Norman French palmer Old French pa(l)mer paum(i)er) so called from the palm branch carried by such pilgrims. The term was also used to denote an itinerant monk who traveled from shrine to shrine under a vow of poverty. This surname is also common in Ireland where it has been recorded from the 13th century onward. Irish: when not of English origin (see 1 above) a surname adopted for Gaelic Ó Maolfhoghmhair (see Milford ) the name of an ecclesiastical family. Swedish (mainly Palmér): ornamental name formed with palm ‘palm tree’ + the suffix -ér (a derivative of Latin -erius) or -er (from German). German: topographic name for someone living among pussy willows (see Palm ). German: from the personal name Palm (see Palm ).

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


Similar surnames: Palm, Balmer, Almer, Paley, Hammer, Galler, Kalmer, Hamer, Palmero

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 Palmer family from?

You can see how Palmer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Palmer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Palmer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 1,428 Palmer families living in Ontario. This was about 47% of all the recorded Palmer's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Palmer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Palmer 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 Palmer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Palmer. 33% of Palmer men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Palmer women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Palmer were Carpenter and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Palmer | 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
    10%
  • Laborer
    6%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Servant
    9%
  • Teacher
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Palmer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Palmer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Palmer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Palmer

Passenger Lists

There are 145,000 immigration records available for the last name Palmer. 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 Palmer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 208,000 military records available for the last name Palmer. For the veterans among your Palmer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Palmer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Palmer family history

Discover More

What is the average Palmer lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Palmer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Palmer in 1940 was 39, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Palmer

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Palmer family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Palmer last name

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