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Cleaver Family History

Cleaver Surname Meaning

English (South Midlands and Oxfordshire): from Middle English clevere ‘one who cleaves’ (a derivative of Old English clēofan ‘to split’) hence an occupational name for someone who split wood into planks using a wedge rather than a saw or possibly for a butcher.

Alternatively, on occasion possibly a topographic name from Middle English cleve ‘bank slope’ (from the dative of Old English clif) + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.

Americanized form of German and Dutch Klever and perhaps also of German Kliewer.

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


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Where is the Cleaver family from?

You can see how Cleaver families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cleaver family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cleaver families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 64 Cleaver families living in Ontario. This was about 58% of all the recorded Cleaver's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Cleaver families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cleaver surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Cleaver ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Cleaver. 66% of Cleaver men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Cleaver women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cleaver were Student and Domestic.

View Census Data for Cleaver | 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
    66%
  • Labourer
    20%
  • Gardener
    8%
  • Student
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    43%
  • Milliner
    29%
  • Domestic
    29%

What Cleaver family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 76,000 census records available for the last name Cleaver. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cleaver census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Cleaver

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Cleaver. 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 Cleaver immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Cleaver. For the veterans among your Cleaver ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cleaver military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cleaver family history

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What is the average Cleaver lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Cleaver life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1959. The average life expectancy for Cleaver in 1945 was 29, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cleaver

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cleaver ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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